Unexpectedly
by Ruthlyn
Summary: The story of a father's plans and a daughter's defiance. Nothing will turn out like he hopes, nor like she expects.
1. One Year

_Dear Lilya,_

_I must admit, I am very anxious to meet you in person. Your father has told me so very many wonderful things about you. I do regret that my visit was so ill-timed. I can assure you, I will inform your father ahead of time when I next travel to Payon._

_In the meantime, I hope you will not mind receiving a few correspondences from me. Until then, remain well._

_Sincerely yours,  
Juris Aganar_

Lilya crumpled up the note as soon as she finished reading it. She'd barely managed to avoid his first visit, and it sounded like she wouldn't be as lucky the next time.

She threw the wad of paper at the trash can near the door and missed. She didn't bother to pick it up.

"Lil," came the chastising voice of her best friend, now walking in the door. "Just because you have servants, doesn't mean you can just throw trash everywhere."

"Ugh, Eilen, not now." She was not in the mood to remind her friend that they merely had two employees – the chef and the maid.

As Payon nobles went, Lilya's father, Pherick Truss, was among the less pompous. In spite of that, he had agreed to this arrangement that had brought Mr. Aganar to Payon.

* * *

_A few days ago…_

"Lilya, come in," Pherick called as she stood outside his door.

She walked in slowly, with her hands behind her back, tugging on her long, blonde braid. She always hated being summoned to his study; it meant something official was going on, which usually put him in a bad mood. However, today he was smiling. That downright scared her.

He stood up and walked over to her. "I have some great news for you."

She moaned inside, but kept a smile plastered on her face.

"You're engaged!" He threw his arms up in an excited gesture, and seemed to expect some sort of reaction from her. He got it.

She choked, barely managing to sputter out, "W-what?!"

"Isn't it wonderful? His name is Juris Aganar."

"But wait, engaged? How is that possible?"

"Of course, the wedding won't be for another year, since you're perhaps a little young. But that'll give you time…"

He kept talking, but Lilya's mind just kept repeating that one word over and over. _Wedding_. What was that about a wedding? Did he really think he would just choose someone for her to marry, and that would be that?

She caught back up with what he was saying, and just in time.

"He'll be here tomorrow, so you can meet him. I'm sure you'll take to each other well."

"Okay, hold on a minute here," she said, as respectfully as she could. He finally seemed to realize she was in the room and looked at her expectantly. "How did this happen exactly?"

"Juris's uncle and I were talking--"

"His uncle?"

"Of course, Mr. Aganar works for the archer guild. You've met him before."

That wasn't saying much. Her father had introduced her to so many different men and women in the last few years.

"We were discussing how busy the archer guild keeps him, and eventually the conversation moved on to his nephew, who is next in line to lead the crusader guild. Juris's father, who is the leader, has been concerned lately that his son's duties have left him no time to find a suitable wife. Sure, there are plenty of perfectly wonderful young women in that guild, but Guile thinks he'd be better off with someone who's not always out fighting and adventuring."

And there it was. She didn't have to hear anymore to understand. And yet, he obliviously kept talking.

"Naturally, at that point, I brought my daughter into the conversation."

Yes, naturally. His plan for her life finally being realized. She should have seen it coming. She always knew it would, but never this soon, so she'd been able to ignore it.

Unlike most other boys and girls her age, Lilya had never gone through novice training. She had the traditional schooling – she'd learned to read and write, she'd learned the history of her world, and how to add and subtract. However, none of this was in the classroom with her peers. Her father hired tutors to teach her in her own home.

One subject those instructors never taught her was that of combat basics, which every novice learned. It never bothered her, though. She knew nothing about what other kids her age were doing. Not until she met Eilenam. Even after her friend filled her in on what she was missing, she didn't complain about her different path. She trusted her father's judgment, and believed his lines about the proper wife being one who stayed at home and took care of the house.

So in addition to her basic studies, Lilya learned to cook and sew, and other womanly duties. She had found it odd, since her own family had employees to do most of that, but her father said she couldn't rely on that. He wanted her to be fully prepared for whatever life she would eventually have. Any life, that is, that didn't include going out to fight monsters and explore dangerous places.

However, he had never even _hinted_ at the idea that he would be choosing that future for her. Had she taken too long? Was she supposed to be searching for someone to spend her life with this whole time? She was only seventeen, for goodness sake. How was she supposed to know?

"Father," she began delicately. "Am I to understand that you have arranged a husband for me, without my consent or even my prior knowledge?"

"Sweetheart," he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Don't think of it as an arranged marriage. Think of it as an opportunity."

"An opportunity for what, exactly?" She didn't want to sound defiant, but the news was very sudden, and very upsetting.

"Juris is a stable man with a great reputation. You couldn't possibly choose a better man. And he is only six years your senior."

"Six years?" she breathed.

Pherick sighed. He walked over to his desk and sat down. "Do you have any idea how this could have gone? In the last two years, I have received no less than four offers from other officials and noblemen of Rune-Midgard. It was the same every time, whether the proposal was for themselves or their sons. None of the suggested suitors was younger than thirty."

Lilya had to concentrate hard to keep her jaw from dropping.

"I managed to refuse every one without offending anyone, though it wasn't always easy. I've done my best to choose a man you will be satisfied with."

"This is insane!" Lilya cried, unable to keep her reaction in check any longer. "I didn't even know this all was going on. I didn't know it was an option! Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'd hoped to keep you happy as long as I could. And I do hope that this man will continue to keep you happy."

"No, no, no, this is a civilized nation. I shouldn't have to go along with this barbaric practice."

Her father laughed at that, though his tone now became a little sharp. "Barbaric? Lilya, I'm not sacrificing you to some pagan god. I am simply helping my daughter to have a solid future with a respectable man."

"A man I don't even know, let alone love!"

"You'll have a year for that, starting tomorrow." With those firmly spoken words it was clear he felt the discussion was over.

Lilya panicked. Providentially, some of her best thinking was done under pressure.

"Unfortunately, tomorrow is not going to work out."

He raised his eyebrows, silently asking for an explanation

"Miss Aylin is taking me to Al de Baran for a few days. We leave first thing in the morning."

"Al de Baran?"

"Yes, mainly to visit the Kafra Headquarters. Apparently someone suggested to her that it might be a career possibility for me." What she didn't add was, _I'm not allowed to be one of them, but it's okay to work for them._

"Ah, yes. Miss Aylin will have to postpone that trip then."

"Okay," Lilya agreed easily. "But you'll have to tell her, because if it comes from me, she'll just think I'm trying to get out of it."

Pherick frowned for a moment before giving in. "I'm sure Juris will be disappointed."

Lilya knew her father and her favorite teacher didn't get along. They tended to butt heads over the teenager's best interests, and the result was often explosive. Miss Aylin was the only person Lilya knew who could make her father back down. It was part of the reason she was her favorite.

The trip wasn't completely fabricated; it was scheduled for next week, though. Lilya would have to either convince Miss Aylin to move it up, or come up with some other reason she'd be gone for a few days next week. No matter; at least she didn't have to deal with that man yet.

* * *

Now, back in her room with Eilenam, Lilya explained the situation to her as the archer read the crumpled note. Eilenam was silent for a few minutes as everything sunk in, and then she repeated her friend's previous action, tossing the note into the trash can. This time it made it in. 

"So what are you going to do?" Eilen questioned.

"What _can_ I do? I can't go against my father's decision."

"Why not?"

Lilya tilted her head down and looked at her friend. "What do you propose I do, run away from home?"

Eilenam laughed lightly. "I guess not. Well, what if you talk to him about it? Seems like he's always been pretty reasonable, and it does sound like he _wants_ you to be happy. Maybe if he knew how much this was bothering you…"

"That's the thing though. He thinks this will make me happy. In fact, he's adamant about it. I don't think he'll cave on this, and I don't want to get into a war with him."

"I would," the archer cogitated.

Lilya looked at her sharply. "Would you really though? It's simple to say that, but you aren't in this position. It's not easy to oppose your own parents."

She sat on the edge of her bed with a light sigh. "One year," she mused. Subconsciously, she began to bounce her right foot on the floor, and her whole leg shook with it.

Eilen noticed her friend's agitated state and came to sit next to her. "A lot can happen in one year," she assured her.

* * *

_This chapter's theme: Mosso (Italian: moved, agitated)_


	2. Subtle Sabotage

Juris Aganar proved true to his word. Only two weeks passed before Lilya received a letter from him.

_Dear Lilya,_

_Where do I begin? As I was unable to properly introduce myself before, I will do so now. My name, of course, is Juris Aganar. I am the son of Guile Aganar, crusader guild head, and I am the guild's choice for the next leader. As such, my duties are vast, and keep me extremely busy._

_I trust that our fathers' somewhat unusual agreement has not inconvenienced you in any way. I must admit, I was surprised to hear that you had acquiesced so willingly. I'm sure you can understand, then, that it brought a bit of confusion, and much disappointment, that you were out of town for my first visit._

_I had hoped to be able to return to Payon soon, but my father seems to have other plans for me. I fear it will be difficult to confine our correspondence to pen and paper, but alas, it must be so. For you see, I have every desire to become acquainted with you before we are wed._

_I realize this letter has not contained the details required for this to occur, but I request something of you first. I would know that you are agreeable to such communication, knowing that we have little choice._

_I eagerly await your reply._

_Sincerely yours,  
Juris Aganar_

Reading through the letter the first time actually brought a smile to Lilya's face. He wouldn't be visiting after all. At least, not for a while longer. Perhaps his duties would keep him so busy, he wouldn't be able to come often enough for the two to become familiar at all. Surely her father wouldn't expect her to marry a man she barely knew. It hadn't sounded like that was his intention at all.

Of course, Mr. Aganar had an alternate solution to that dilemma. Receiving periodic letters may be safer for her, but it certainly would not help in her attempt to sabotage the union. And though the man had essentially given her the option to refuse this method, she could not do so. Ultimately, her father would hear of it, and the repercussions would be more than she wanted to deal with.

The idea of simply not replying was beginning to appeal to her considerably, but she decided a slightly more direct approach would be best. It was time to write a letter of her own.

_Dear Mr. Aganar,_

_I appreciate the great respect you have given me, a woman you have never met, yet presume to spend the rest of your life with. I feel it only fair that you are aware of where I stand in all of this._

_I gathered from your letter that you are under the impression I am a willing party in this arrangement. I must inform you that I actually have little choice in the matter. My father did not inquire as to whether or not I would like to marry a stranger from Prontera. He merely assumed my assent, after already having made the deal with your father._

_It was not until well after this took place that I was even made aware of my own engagement. My father did not tell me until the day before your visit. Of course, you are familiar with the problem caused by that._

_I am sorry you were given the wrong idea about me. Clearly my feelings and preferences are of no concern to those involved with this situation. I will not refuse your correspondence, but I felt it was unfair to you to let you go on believing that I was happy about any of it._

_Sincerely,  
Lilya Truus_

She read over it a few times, hoping her intentions weren't too obvious. She asked Eilenam to send it for her, as she couldn't risk her father reading it.

Lilya knew how long it would take for a letter to reach the capital city from Payon, and for the reply to return. She was quite surprised, then, when it took almost a month for another letter from Mr. Aganar to come. Every one of those days, she expected to hear from her father on the matter, scolding her for sending that wonderful man such a rude letter. However, when she read the letter, she understood why that never happened.

First, she noticed the change in salutation from "Dear Lilya" to "Dear Miss Truus." He'd lost whatever bit of familiarity he'd once felt with her. In the body, he stated formally and bluntly that she was free of any obligation she'd had to him. He said he was sorry for any discomfort he had caused her, and that he'd never intended to force himself upon her.

Lilya was ecstatic. She'd never expected her letter to work so well, or so quickly. Then she read the end. Mr. Aganar promised to speak with his father about this, and suggested she inform hers as well.

When she heard the insistent knocking on her door, she knew she wouldn't have to. So the word had gotten to him after all. Pherick entered without waiting for an invitation. His face was a bright shade of scarlet, and he was taking quick, angry breaths.

"Father, is something wrong?" she questioned in as genuinely innocent a tone as she could. She didn't want to give him even the slightest reason to think she would know what was bothering him.

"You are a manipulative little wench, aren't you?" he growled.

She had no response to that. Despite how controlling her father had always been, he'd never spoken to her so forcefully before. She'd gone too far this time; perhaps this marriage had been more important to him than she'd realized. She almost felt sorry for ruining it. Almost.

"I don't know what you did to turn Juris, or why, but I just received a very heated message from an infuriated crusader guild leader."

"I'm sorry, Father. I suppose Juris Aganar is just of the same mind as I am. It makes no sense to throw two random strangers together and--"

"Be quiet." Pherick's command stopped her cold. "Your plan didn't quite succeed. Guile Aganar knows that this is his son's only chance to have a proper wife. You're a rare breed these days. And I had thought you understood that you aren't likely to find a better husband. And the fact is, Guile has promised that we will only benefit from remaining faithful."

"What exactly does that mean?" Lilya asked suspiciously.

"Don't worry about it. Nothing has changed, and I suggest you accept that and make better use of the time you have left."

Lilya opened her mouth to attempt one last protest, but Pherick cut off the first word.

"To begin with, you will write Juris another letter apologizing for your behavior and assuring him of your eagerness with the coming union."

Lilya had no doubt that he meant business this time. The steely look in his eyes gave her no room to even squirm. Her mind was racing with thoughts to which she was surprised she was even listening.

_He's right. I should have just let it go from the beginning. Why would I think he's not just doing what he thinks to be the best for me? Mr. Aganar seems nice enough so far, maybe he is the best choice I could make._

_But I didn't make the choice. Why am I not allowed to choose my own husband? I've already missed out on one important part of life, why does he have to take this away from me too? This is the __rest of my life__ he's planning for me. I can't let him do this._

_What options do I have? This is my father. I cannot outright rebel. He does not deserve that. Perhaps there is something else I can do…_

Her father had been heading out her door, but stopped to speak again without turning around. "Lilya, this letter will be finished tonight. You will hand it to me for mailing, and I will read it before doing so."

Lilya froze halfway to her desk. Her last hope was crushed with those words. She was out of ideas.

Pherick turned halfway around, deliberately avoiding her eye contact. He looked a lot less angry now, and his voice carried more disappointment than anything. "I would never have imagined that my daughter could be so conniving. You may not believe me, but I am doing this because I love you, and not, in fact, to ruin your life. Someday, perhaps, you'll see."

Lilya felt miserable when he left. Her fight was over now, and she had lost. But the guilt she felt far overshadowed anything else. However, the guilt was only in regards to scheming to deceive her father as she had. She was still angry with him for forcing the undesired union on her, and she could not imagine complete compliance on her part.

And now she had less than ten months.

* * *

_This chapter's theme: Sempre (Italian: always)_


	3. Excerpts

_Dear Miss Truus,_

_It was clear in your letter that you had not changed your mind about any of this, despite the words you wrote. I'll assume that the agreement to go ahead with our marriage was forced onto you. My father had the same reaction that I can only guess yours did._

_My father has more control over my life than I would prefer to admit. I'm ashamed to tell you how easily he turned me back to his design…_

* * *

I'm sure our fathers only have our best interests at heart. Yes, I'm absolutely certain of that. Truthfully, though, I will forever be curious about what caused them to believe this was a good idea in the first place. 

I am also interested in hearing about what method your father used on you. My story is nothing more than loyalty to the man who raised me and has, in fact, cared for me for seventeen years. Yours sounds much more interesting…

* * *

_As I am sure you are aware, my father is Guile Aganar, first leader of the crusader guild here in Prontera. I am next in line for that role, though there is more to that than my relationship to Guile. However, my father has a lot of sway over those in charge of that decision. I have become rather accustomed to the idea of being in charge someday, and I did not want to lose that._

_Telling you about it now, it sounds very petty. I can only hope to redeem myself somehow. Unfortunately, I shall have to find another way to do that, as long as my father will not change his mind. The only person he listens to is my mother, and for whatever reason, she is in agreement with him on this issue. I usually find her to be of a more sound mind…_

* * *

I can only imagine. My mother died years ago, but I do not recall her having a sound mind at all. She was rarely happy, never laughed, and I do think she suffered from sort of mental illness. When I was younger, I had always believed that I had done something to upset her. Now, though, I feel somehow that an arranged marriage was involved. My father is, overall, a good man, but I am quite sure my parents were never in love. 

As I don't want this letter to carry too depressing a tone, let me mention the woman who has since become like a mother to me. Miss Aylin is my favorite tutor, and I consider her as much a part of my family as my father is. While I don't think even she could sway his decision in this particular matter, she has fought him on other fronts and emerged victorious…

* * *

_Since we have established the overwhelming desire our parents have for us to wed, let me express my own confusion. Clearly, there is something here that makes my father doubt my ability to make my own decision, something he's never done in the past. But what is it about you that is so perfect that my father can't let go? Please, do not take offense to this. I have enjoyed our correspondence, but for my father to be so adamant, there must be something…_

* * *

Don't worry, I take no offense. The only information I was ever given about you was the vague idea that you are "decent" and "stable." Tell me, how is that supposed to win me over?

So my father is not the only one leaving his offspring in the dark. No one told you my huge appeal? Didn't you wonder what class I hold in the Rune-Midgard ranks? Quite simply, none. I never even became a novice, much less went through any training. My father has been grooming me for this very mission in life. To become the perfect wife for someone like you.

Guile Aganar was concerned his son would fall in love with one of the otherwise wonderful women in his guild. Therefore, meeting and striking a deal with Pherick Truus was ideal for him. His daughter would be the perfect housewife, never running off to travel or fight…

* * *

_Now I see. My mother is a wizard. My father always abhorred her long absences as she trained and honed her magics. My parents do love each other, I think. Your own observations have given me cause to question that, but I do believe they share that feeling. However, my mother trains and fights less often than she used to, and less often than I know she still wants to, and she does seem to resent my father for it. Perhaps she resents me too. Either way, I now fully understand why they are united on this. I am just sorry you were caught up in it as well…_

* * *

Don't apologize. I don't blame you for any of this; you did try to stop it, remember?

You mentioned in a previous letter that you have a younger sister. What's she like? Is she a crusader as well, or is she perhaps a wizard like your mother? I hope you don't mind my questions. I don't have any siblings, and I've often wondered what it would be like.

I do have a best friend named Eilenam who is like a sister to me. But in the end, she gets to go home to her warm, happy parents who are thrilled that she's an archer, and her two very protective brothers. I remain in this large, empty house, dreaming of being a part of a family like that…

* * *

_Honestly, you confuse me a little. One minute, you sound like you wish you could have joined the ranks of the adventurers of Rune-Midgard, training, battling, and traveling the country. And then you go on about how a large family would make you happy. It makes me sad that you aren't able to make the choice for yourself._

_As for my sister, she is actually an acolyte, training to become a monk. My mother wanted her to be a priest, my father wanted her to be a knight like him, so she chose what she considers to be a compromise. I actually don't see her much these days though. The Prontera church has a tendency to send its members out for training for weeks or even months at a time._

_I'd love to tell you that the two of you should meet, because you'd get along great, but the truth is, she's rather self-absorbed. However, I hope to meet this friend of yours who seems to make you feel akin and estranged at the same time. What I want most, though, is to finally meet you in person. Unfortunately, that will still have to wait…_

* * *

Now I'm the one who's confused. I thought your father was a crusader, like you are. He's the head of that guild, you wrote it twice. In your last letter, though, you said he is a knight. Admittedly, my knowledge of the job system is limited, but that doesn't seem quite right to me.

My father seems suspicious that you've yet to come to Payon a second time. I think he believes that I have somehow convinced you to stay away. He has stopped reading every letter I send, for which I am grateful. However, if he begins to do so again, I will resume my own previous action of giving half of them to Eilenam to send.

My father's right. I am very manipulative…

* * *

_Guile is the crusader guild leader, but he is, in fact, a knight. I can see how that would be confusing. You see, the crusader class is actually quite new, having only been introduced a few months ago. They needed someone experienced to run it, and they weren't going to find that amongst the brand new crusaders. Guile Aganar, being good friends with the knight guild leader as well as those who were responsible for the crusader guild creation, offered his help, and was given the leadership._

_I was actually on the path to becoming a knight until maybe six months before my job change was to take place. When my father heard the talk of the new class for a swordsman to advance to, he just knew his son would be perfect for it. But, of course, it takes time to develop a whole new class, and this one took three years. I have not even been a crusader for a year yet. My extra time as a swordsman allowed me to hone my skills more than most, which is a large part of why I am to be the first actual crusader to lead the guild._

_I fear I have given a little more detail than you really asked for. Now I have a question for you: If you'd had a choice and could have went through novice training, what class would you have chosen next?_

* * *

I've never really thought about it. I had no reason to. I suppose I would have chosen something magical like priestess or sage. Or maybe hunter, since that's what Eilenam is working towards. I haven't really looked into the various classes before though, so I don't know much of the details about them. I've tried not to think too much about it, for obvious reasons.

There's something I think you should know. My father fully expects you to take over the planning of my future once we are married. It will be up to you whether I get a job (he keeps saying I'd make a great Kafra employee), or stay home to use what skills I have been taught. I thought perhaps you might want to be thinking about that now.

In the interest being honest with you, and not appearing manipulative for once, I'll just tell you that I hope you will let me input my own opinion on the matter. However, at this point, neither option sounds entirely thrilling, so I also hope you will not hold my indecisiveness against me…

* * *

_Dear Miss Truus,_

_I am sorry I haven't written you in so long. I was sent on an unavoidable mission to Juno that lasted a few weeks longer than it was expected to._

_I wanted to let you know that I will be coming to Payon in two weeks. It has been over six months since my last trip, and I can only hope you will be more welcoming of my visit this time. Truthfully, I've had more reasons for staying away this long than just being too busy. I wanted to give you more time to adjust to my role in your life. In a recent letter, you brought up this subject, and not in a negative way. I think perhaps it is a good time. We do have to meet eventually._

_Do not think for a moment that I want to dictate your life. Whichever you someday decide to do, I will be okay with it. I'm sure your trouble with this is related to your age. You are not even eighteen yet. Don't worry; as long as it is up to me, you have time._

_I look forward to seeing you in two weeks, Miss Truus._

_Sincerely yours,  
Juris Aganar_

* * *

_This chapter's theme: Vivace (Italian: lively)_


	4. Calm Before the Storm

"_Two weeks._"

"_I will be coming to Payon in two weeks._"

"_I look forward to seeing you in two weeks, Miss Truus."_

Lilya read over those words a few times, waiting for the revulsion, panic, even disappointment to come. When they didn't, she wasn't surprised. She did, however, wonder why she'd even expected to feel that way. In truth, she was looking forward to it a little. She was nervous about meeting him, worried about what his reaction might be to seeing him in person, and still frighteningly aware of the fact that she felt no love for the man.

When Eilenam returned from her recent training trip, though, she did find her older friend with a smile on her face. Lilya was braiding her long, blonde hair when the archer entered her room.

"Eilen, you're back!" Lilya greeted her, reaching for a tie for her hair.

"Yes, back, and in one piece, believe it or not."

Lilya stood and faced her friend now. "What do you mean? Why would you be…in pieces?"

"It's a long story, and I'll tell you all about it. Right after you tell me what's put you in such a better mood than when I left."

Rather than explaining, Lilya handed Eilenam the letter and watched as she read it. When she was finished, she looked up with an expectant face.

"Okay?" she prodded. When Lilya had nothing to add, Eilenam took a guess. "You figured out a more permanent solution this time, right?" Something to end this once and for all, make the guy stay away?"

Lilya frowned. "Well, no. He's coming; there's really nothing left to do about it."

"But--so you're happy with this now?"

"I'm not…I mean, I'm not _un_happy."

The archer tilted her head, conveying her desire for more of an explanation.

"I'm just not fighting it anymore. There's no point in it, and I'm actually tired of being upset about it. So now I've moved on to acceptance. And maybe even a little anticipation."

"Anticipation?" Eilenam echoed with disbelief. "That's a huge step forward from dread. You know you don't have to put up a front with me here. You can't tell me you don't still have some apprehension about marrying a man you've still yet to meet."

"Oh, yes. About the marriage, definitely, I'm scared to death. But I don't have to concentrate on that just yet. I just meant that at least this time, I can think about seeing him in person, and I know I don't hate him."

"It's a step up from last time," the archer repeated. "What have I missed here?"

Lilya retrieved the stack of letters from her desk and handed it to Eilenam. She waited patiently as her friend read each one in chronological order.

"Well," Eilenam said as she finished the final letter, "I guess I can understand the change of heart."

Lilya nodded. "The time of plotting is over. Now…"

"It's time to live the rest of your life?" Eilenam offered.

Lilya chuckled. "I guess so. Mr. Aganar comes in a week, and I doubt he'll be unaccompanied. You'll be here, right?"

"I wouldn't leave you alone to face this."

* * *

"Wait, he's not supposed to be here until tomorrow!" 

"I know, but I'm telling you, your fiancé is in town. I saw him near the Kafra station. He probably just came a little early, and is staying at the inn tonight."

"You saw him?" Lilya exclaimed. "What did he look like? He's handsome, right?"

Eilenam gave her friend a disappointed look. "Actually…"

"What? It's okay if he's not. I mean, what are the odds that he's that nice _and_ good-looking?"

"'It's okay if he's not?' Wow, you like him more than I thought," Eilen teased.

"You're stalling," Lilya complained. "What does he look like?"

"Well…he is pretty handsome, really. He's pretty tall, has sandy-colored hair, and is clearly built for wielding a sword. Thing is…he kinda reminded me a little of your dad."

"Um…I was with ya up 'till that last part."

"I know, and I'm sorry to have to tell you. But the way he talked, ordering people around, and the way he carried himself. And I'm telling you, with that hair, from the back…I assumed it _was _your dad at first.

Lilya was skeptical. "And you're sure it wasn't?"

"Oh yeah, he turned around long enough, trust me on this."

She was beginning to run out of ideas to convince herself that Eilenam was wrong. "Maybe this man you saw wasn't even him? Maybe it was just someone he brought with him."

"It was. He answered to 'Mr. Aganar' quite a few times. He seems a little famous."

Lilya's shoulders sunk as she slumped onto a bench in the yard. She'd meant what she'd said; the feelings she had for the man, though she didn't love him, were enough that she'd not been overly concerned with his outward appearance. However, she could not marry her father.

"One more thing I should probably tell you," her friend added.

Lilya's breath caught in her throat. Either Eilenam was about to make things even worse, or she was going to reveal that it was all a joke, and that Juris Aganar hadn't even come to Payon today at all.

"He looks to be every bit as old as your dad too."

"What? How's that possible? My father said that Mr. Aganar is only twenty-three!"

"I don't know. Some people don't age well, ya know. Or maybe your dad lied to you?"

Lilya habitually bounced her foot against the ground as her thoughts rambled on in her mind. In one of Juris's letters, he talked about becoming a crusader a year ago. It would be very unlikely that anyone would advance classes so late in life. He also made it sound like he was a swordsman for only a few years longer than most. No, her father hadn't been lying. But even still, Eilenam said he looked as old as Lilya's father, not to mention all the other similarities.

"Eilen…" Lilya addressed her friend slowly, as a hopeful thought crossed her mind.

"Hm?"

"Is there any chance that the man you saw could have been _Guile_ Aganar?"

"His father? Well…I suppose so. Was he coming to visit as well?"

"I don't really know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised. Tomorrow is the engagement party, remember. Besides, something tells me that if Juris Aganar arrived a day early, he wouldn't just retire to the inn. He'd probably have come here to meet me first."

The archer raised her eyebrows. "Think pretty highly of ourselves, do we?"

Lilya shrugged. From the very first note he'd left her, he'd been anxious to meet her. Why should now be any different?

"I suppose I should be heading home for dinner," Eilenam said, then turned to leave. "I'll be here before the party tomorrow."

Lilya hurried to reach her friend before she left the yard, slapping her on the shoulder.

"What was that for?" Eilen asked, as amused as she was surprised.

"Making me think that I was stuck with a twisted imitation of my father for the rest of my life."

Eilenam chuckled grimly. "You haven't seen your future husband, don't be relieved just yet."

* * *

_This chapter's themes: C__adence & Canon (Latin: a measuring line, rule, model)_


	5. Progression

Lilya stood in front of her mirror, staring intently at her reflection, for far too long. Suddenly she couldn't help but wonder what he would see when he looked at her for the first time.

Would he think she was too short? She was only 5'5", nothing compared to the stature of her younger, yet half a foot taller, best friend. Eilenam had said his father was as tall as Lilya's own. Would Juris Aganar consider his future wife to be a midget?

She considered redoing her hair. She always wore it in a long braid down her back. Why had she chosen tonight, of all nights, to wear it up? She felt like a fraud.

The only thing she wasn't uncertain of was her clothes. She'd chosen a full-length, pale blue dress. It was beautiful, but hardly flattering to her figure; it would never turn a head. She did not want his first impression of her to involve anything with which she was uncomfortable.

After a few more minutes of staring critically, she finally decided the hair needed changed. She reached up to remove the pins holding it in place, but stopped when she heard a knock at the door. When she answered it, she was greeted by Eilenam, who had shed her archer's uniform in favor of something more festive.

"You look great," Lilya told her friend.

"Thanks. So do you."

"I was actually just about to--"

Eilenam stopped Lilya just as she was reaching to let her hair down again.

"Don't you dare. It's gorgeous. Besides, aren't you dying to go out there and see what he looks like?"

The engagement party had actually started ten minutes ago. She was still up here because her father said she needed to make an entrance.

"It's not time yet," she explained.

"We're not going in; we won't even be seen. Don't make me go alone." When Lilya still hadn't agreed, Eilenam added, "Come on, you know you're dying of curiosity."

And so, moments later, the two girls were looking down on the party from behind a banister, carefully watching for any sign that someone had noticed him. It didn't take long for Eilenam to spot Guile Aganar, and she pointed him out to Lilya. She had to agree, the man carried some resemblances to her own father. She'd expected his son to be with him, but the man was alone.

"Where is he?" she wondered aloud.

"I'd be pretty willing to wager that the man your father is dragging around and introducing to everyone is Juris Aganar," Eilen offered.

Lilya followed her gaze. And there he was; it had to be. He looked almost nothing like his father, and even less like Pherick. The first thought that really hit her was--

"He's short." Eilenam's observation was the same as Lilya's, though unlike Eilenam, Lilya found the knowledge to be rather contenting.

Since Eilenam's preview of the senior Aganar, Lilya had inadvertently turned Juris Aganar into something of a giant in her own mind. She was sure that he would look down on her, quite literally, hating every second of it. What a relief to at least lay one concern to rest.

"He's not that short," she whispered. "He only looks that way standing next to my father."

"He looks like a tree trunk."

Lilya wasn't sure if that was supposed to be an insult, but she could actually see what Eilenam meant. Even through his clothes, one could easily discern how muscular the crusader was. His arms were thick, his shoulders were wide, and combined with his less-than-towering stature, she could see the tree trunk analogy.

"He actually looks pretty threatening, if you ask me," Eilenam scrutinized. "I'll bet he could crush your fingers with a handshake."

"Oh, nice," Lilya groaned. "Thanks for that."

"Yeah, see, I don't know about this, Lil," Eilen continued, spurred on by her friend's reaction. "How do you know he's not a wife beater?"

"Oh, please." That was a little too far. Lilya had seen his face. While Guile Aganar roamed the room with a scowl on his face, and Pherick Truus displayed a haughty smirk, Juris Aganar had only a kind smile for everyone Pherick introduced him to.

As she watched, she noticed other details. His hair was black and curly, and fell down past his ears. His skin was tan, and his chin carried a half a day's growth. All in all, she was very curious now to see what his mother looked like, considering the sharp contrast to his father. Of course, soon enough, she would most likely be meeting his mother.

Pherick was saying something to their maid now, and the woman came up the stairs. Lilya and Eilenam backed up a few feet to wait for her. It was time.

"My father won't be escorting me into the party?" Lilya questioned. She'd been to a few parties like this, and that seemed to be the tradition.

"I suppose not," the maid answered. "He only said you are to come down now."

This was not the time to dwell on yet another disappointment her father caused, so she pushed that aside. Glancing back at Eilenam, who gave her a reassuring nod, she stepped to the top of the stairwell. Though her eyes remained fixed straight ahead, she could hear the room hush below. Suddenly, she felt as if she might pass out. Her stomach was twisting and her heart was pounding, and she wanted so badly to be at the bottom already. When she glanced down there, though, she caught the gaze of Juris Aganar, and nearly froze.

As she forced her legs to keep moving, her mind raced with thoughts of panic. What would he do when she reached him? Would he try to hug her, or worse, _kiss_her? If he did, how would she react? How _should_ she react? She'd probably be scolded or worse for pulling away in horror, which is all she could imagine doing right now. She knew he was a good man, but he was still a stranger to her. She'd never even seen his face before now.

The stairs turned, and she was forced to follow, facing the man directly now. She looked everywhere but into his eyes again. She was almost afraid of what his gaze might convey. How could he be so calm?

She took the last few steps, and walked directly to her father. Despite how he'd let her down, he was still familiar, and she had to start with that.

"Lilya, sweetheart," her father greeted her, taking both of her hands in his. "You look beautiful." He was very skilled at putting on this show. He backed up a little and turned to the man next to him. "Mr. Aganar, I present to you my daughter, Lilya Truus."

Lilya almost blanched at his use of the word "present." He really did think of her as an asset to be traded to gain what he wanted. He looked back at her quickly, and she caught the warning in his eyes. _Don't screw this up_.

She turned to face her future husband. He was smiling, but he looked as unsure as she felt. He held his hand out. _That's it?_ She shook it hesitantly.

"It is wonderful to finally meet you, Miss Truus," he said, and bowed formally.

Before Lilya could respond, Pherick had her by the elbow, leading her to someone else he wanted her to meet. Of course, she already knew who he was, but waited for the introduction anyway.

"Guile Aganar, it is my supreme pleasure to introduce to you my lovely daughter Lilya."

The senior Mr. Aganar took her hand and, with a plastered-on smile, brought it up to his lips. It occurred to Lilya that this introduction seemed far more important to her father than the previous.

"A pleasure, my dear," the older man said, with her hand still inches from his mouth.

She at least had the presence of mind to curtsy properly in response, but she had to resist pulling her hand back. While it was not the first time someone she'd been introduced to had kissed her hand, none had ever been quite so informal with her. If this was how she could expect to be treated by her future father-in-law, she had a whole new problem with this marriage.

Fortunately, he released her hand quickly enough. Soon after, she was whisked away by her father and Guile Aganar, to meet other important people. More than an hour went by before the two men left her on her own again. She immediately scanned the room for Eilenam, who would've joined the party just after Lilya's grand entrance. She found someone else instead.

"Miss Truus." Juris approached her carefully, as if he was worried he'd scare her off. His smile was warm and genuine, and she couldn't help but return it.

It occurred to her that none of this was probably much easier for him than it was her, and her treatment of him couldn't be helping. She knew she could at least put him at ease, let him know she was okay with him being here now. She had to admit, with the initial meeting out of the way, she felt much more relaxed seeing him now. It helped to not have the entire room staring at her anymore.

"M--"

"Lilya! I finally found you!" Eilenam was suddenly at her side. She seemed to only just notice who her friend was with. "Oh…I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt." Eilen had always been pretty shy with strangers, and under the slightly startled stare of Mr. Aganar, her cheeks turned an especially deep shade of red.

He only took a second to recover, then let the archer off the hook. "It's not a problem. You must be Eilenam."

"Yeah, how did you know?" Eilen inquired, clearly surprised.

"Miss Truus mentioned you in a few letters," he answered with a smile.

"Oh really?" she raised an eyebrow at Lilya. "Did she tell you I often jump into the middle of conversations and make a fool of myself?" she joked weakly. "That's how you knew it was me, right?"

Lilya chuckled at that. "No--" Again she was interrupted.

"Son, I have someone over here who wants to meet you." Guile Aganar stole Juris away without so much as a glance at the two women he was conversing with.

Lilya and Eilenam stood in silence for a few seconds.

Eilen mused, "Wow, that was…"

"Tactful," Lilya suggested.

"Polite."

"Right."

"I'll bet you're looking forward to being related to him."

Lilya chuckled wryly. "Right."

"But on a positive note, your fiancé actually seems really sweet. You know, from what little I could see."

"My…fiancé," Lilya echoed.

"Uh, yeah. Wait, are we back on the 'let's get it called off' train?"

"No, it's not that," Lilya answered quickly. "It's just that I've rather avoided thinking of him like that for a long time. He was always 'Mr. Aganar,' 'that man,' or even 'future husband,' but 'fiancé' seemed too…"

"Too accepting? Like you truly want to marry him?"

"Yeah, basically."

"And now?" Eilen prompted.

"Now…I'd actually like to have a few seconds to talk to my fiancé," Lilya said with a smile.

She looked around the room and found the Aganar men still deep in conversation with some official. How could their fathers not understand how crucial this evening was for the couple whose party this was supposed to be?

Juris looked up and caught her watching him, and her heart skipped a beat. Again he smiled at her, and she was beginning to really enjoy the way his whole face participated in it. He held her gaze for a few eternal seconds, and she felt her face warming. For the first time, she truly felt hopeful that this arrangement could actually turn out well.

* * *

_This chapter's theme: Fermata_


	6. Confrontation

"Lil, your dad's coming," Eilen warned her, reminding her of where she was. "I guess it's time for more rounds. Have fun."

Indeed, there were still plenty of people for Lilya to meet, make a good impression on, and generally make her father look good to. Of course, engagement to celebrate or not, the parties were always about her father's standing in the community. She was beginning to wonder if this whole arrangement was about just that.

By the time the party was beginning to wind down, Lilya was more anxious than before. She wasn't even sure if she would see Juris before he left, much less have a chance to finally speak with him. Surely he wouldn't just leave without saying goodbye. But then, she hadn't been very welcoming to him tonight.

When Pherick insisted she come say goodnight to "Mr. Aganar and his son," she was quite relieved. Of course, the farewell was as formal as the initial greeting, and again, Lilya was given no chance to utter a word in response.

As the Aganars headed for the door, though, Juris stopped.

"Father, I will meet you outside."

"Son?"

"I would like a moment with Miss Truus, if you don't mind."

Guile glanced at Pherick, who shrugged.

"Alright," he conceded, and walked out the door. Pherick followed.

As soon as they were gone, Juris turned to Lilya. "I'm sorry," he stated.

Lilya was caught off guard a little by that. He answered her question before she could ask it.

"I am sorry for letting this evening be run by them, and used as just another platform for their politics."

Lilya shrugged half-heartedly. "It's the world we live in."

"Perhaps so, but do you have any idea how long I have waited to even hear your voice? Do you realize this moment is the first chance I've had?"

"I had noticed the lack of words exchanged between us tonight, yes."

Juris took a step closer to her. "Miss Truus, I fear that the next six months will go by as quickly as the last. I do not want us to be strangers at our own wedding."

"Believe me, the thought terrifies me as well."

His eyes were so gentle and conveyed his concerns so strongly. She could tell he was still unsure about how much she would accept from him, considering her tendency to keep him at bay since her first letter to him. It was time to speak candidly with him, despite her heart pounding in her chest.

"Mr. Aganar, I will admit, I was strongly against this whole arrangement from the beginning. I despised my father for putting this on me, and I despised you by association."

She could tell that hurt him, so she continued quickly.

"But tonight, I find that in the time since then, my opinion of you has somehow changed." That seemed to help. Though she wanted to be open with him, she found herself questioning how to even express the truth.

He took the initiative to express it for her. "Your letters have meant a lot to me. I noticed a change in the tone toward the end. You seemed to feel a little more comfortable. That is why I thought it was time to finally meet."

"You mentioned that in your last letter.

"However, when I saw you for the first time today, I could see you thought of me as a stranger again."

Lilya nodded. "In our correspondence, I did come to feel as though you were a friend."

"I'm glad to hear that," Juris replied with a slight smile. "But…?"

"But when we met tonight, I was all too aware that what we're involved in begs for more than just friendship. Or at least, if I had my preference, it would."

"I know. If there was anything I could do…" He walked away a few steps, then turned to face her again. "Miss Truus, I care about you very much. I couldn't bear to see you so unhappy the rest of your life. I know this is not an ideal situation, for either of us. I'm open to suggestions."

She didn't respond for a minute. He was "open to suggestions?" Was he saying he'd go along with her on a plan to break the arrangement? With his help, she just might be able to come up with something that would actually work. But…was that really what she wanted anymore?

She searched his face for an answer to her questions. She could tell he meant what he said about not wanting to see her unhappy, and all she could really think about was how stupid she would be if she let such a genuinely caring man leave her life. Given the chance, her father would probably punish her by finding the meanest, ugliest man he could, and forcing her to marry him. At which point she'd actually have to seriously consider running away. But she didn't even know if she could do that.

"I think that we should start with you calling me 'Lilya,'" she finally said. "We're friends, right?"

Juris smiled. "Yes, we are." He tentatively reached out and took her hand.

"Then I suppose we start with that," she suggested, returning the smile.

* * *

_This chapter's theme: Ritenuto  
_


	7. Alone

In the weeks following the party, Lilya was far more relaxed than she had been in the weeks preceding it. The trepidation about her situation was gone, replaced with less extreme feelings of nervousness and anxiousness. Her dad seemed to be satisfied with her change in attitude, so he wasn't hovering around her as much as he had been, which also did wonders for her mood.

Lilya received a letter from Juris the week after their first meeting, and Lilya could tell that he was still a little reserved. However, he did address her by her first name once again, as she had suggested. She wrote him back soon after, though she was unable to find much to say this time. She did, however, mention an upcoming shopping trip she was planning. Eilenam's birthday was approaching, and every year Lilya went to Prontera to find a gift.

When she read the next letter from Juris, which came much sooner than she expected, she was surprised by what she read. He'd managed to work out his schedule to allow for a day off, and he thought that perhaps he could meet her in Prontera. The choice was up to her, he wrote, and if she agreed, all she had to do was let him know the date she was planning to go.

It did not take much for Lilya to know that she definitely did want to see him again. She picked a day that would give him enough time to receive the letter and make sure he could free himself that day, and then wrote him back.

The morning of her trip, as she prepared to leave, her stomach was again performing acrobatic tricks as she thought about the day ahead. Unlike last time, though, there was no fear; she was, however, extremely nervous at the thought of finally being able to spend some time with her fiancé without their fathers intervening.

Of course, she couldn't make it out of the house without a word from Pherick.

"Where are you off to today, dear?" he called as she walked by his study.

She stopped, but didn't walk in. "Prontera, remember? Eilenam's birthday is in a few weeks."

"Oh yes, indeed." He stood up from his desk and stepped toward her. "You seem a little over-dressed for a shopping trip."

Lilya glanced down at her clothes. "I suppose so. Juris had mentioned that he might have a day off today--"

"You're seeing Juris today?" her father interrupted her. "That's wonderful! I just knew this would work out."

"Father…." She stopped without continuing, knowing that there was no way to explain to Pherick that it was far too soon to know if anything had "worked out." In his mind, it didn't matter anyway; his daughter would marry whatever man he told her to marry. If she and that man actually got along, it was only a nice benefit.

He was still waiting for her to continue, and even prompted her with, "Yes?"

"I'll see you this evening."

"Good bye, dear. Have a good time."

As she walked further down the hall, she could practically hear himself patting himself on the back for a job well done. She stormed outside and paid the first acolyte she found for a warp to Payon. By the time she arrived at Prontera, she was less angry. Lilya was determined not to let her father ruin this visit.

Unfortunately, it turned out that Pherick was not the only obstacle that threatened the bliss she had imagined for the day. Juris had asked her to head to the western gate of Prontera's wall upon her arrival in the capital. Since he did not know for certain how his plans would work out, he would leave a message with the Kafra there with a more specific idea. It was not good news.

_Dear Lilya,_

_Despite my best efforts to make this a work-free day, work inevitably comes up. I do not think my father believes in days off. However, I have not given up yet. I will attempt to extract myself from my duties as soon as I can. I suggest you continue with your plans for the day; if I manage to free myself of this place, I will join you later._

_Sincerely yours,  
Juris_

Lilya was deflated. As she stared at the crowd that she was near the edge of, she suddenly felt very alone. She'd been looking forward to spending time with him today, apparently more than she'd realized. Now he may not come at all. She let out a dejected sigh. There was nothing left to do but continue with her shopping trip. She still had a birthday gift to buy.

She wove through the crowd, though not as expertly as many others there did, and browsed the vendors set up along the sides of the streets. Her thoughts, however, were not on the task at hand.

She listened to a merchant explain the purpose of an Old Card Album, which he assured her was priced lower at his shop than anywhere else in town. _How can Guile Aganar really not understand how delicate a time this is for his son's relationship?_ Lilya wondered as he spoke.

Later, one blacksmith chuckled as he informed Lilya that he couldn't forge a weapon for an archer. She ignored his condescending tone as she walked away, and silently mused about whether or not Juris's father was purposely ruining this day for his son. She couldn't imagine what reason he would have to do that, and for all she knew, Juris had never explained about his plans. Somehow, though, she couldn't bring herself to give Guile Aganar the benefit of the doubt.

After deciding against a dokebi egg for Eilen – Lilya thought that a gift that would cost her friend money to friend wasn't the best idea – she glanced at her watch to see that five hours had passed. She was no closer to settling on a gift, Juris still hadn't shown up, and she was hungry.

She went to the pub for lunch, and as she ate, she forced herself to think about the original reason for this trip. It had never been this difficult to find a gift for Eilenam in the past. She knew the reason for that – she was barely paying attention to the choices. In fact, now that her mind was where it should be, she knew she'd been looking at all the wrong things anyway. Ever since she'd known her friend, she'd gotten her the same thing for her birthday – a hat of some sort, the more worthless for battle, the better.

"I have what I need for fighting," Eilenam told her once. "What I really want now is something _fashionable_." With that word, she stuck her nose up in the air and strutted around like a model. "I want something that I can wear when I go to town, something that shows everyone who I really am."

Lilya had always thought it odd, since Eilenam had always been a little shy. Somehow it seemed that wearing a "fashionable" hat made her feel a little more confident. Lilya didn't understand in the slightest. But it was what Eilen wanted, so after lunch, she would see what kinds of hats were for sale today.

* * *

_This chapter's theme: __A capella_


	8. Graceful

Once she'd reminded herself of her mission, it didn't take Lilya long to narrow down her choices. After only an hour of wandering Prontera, she was pretty sure she knew what to buy. She kept walking around though, drawing out her time here. She was still hoping that Juris would show up, not that she had any idea how he would find her in this crowded city.

Eventually, she realized that it was getting late. The sun would be setting soon, and her father would expect her home. She still had to go back and find the merchant with the hat she'd decided on, though, and he was near the fountain in the center of town. She was just outside of the southern gate now, not technically even in Prontera, though it was just as crowded here.

_Do these people never leave?_ she mused as she picked her way through the crowd, heading north. _Eat, sleep, go…anywhere else? Is this what life is like for the adventurers of Rune-Midgard – hanging around Prontera all day?_

Just as she stepped past the wall and into the city, a few chords of music struck her ears. It was beautiful, deep and soft, and the notes blended so smoothly together. She turned her head in the direction of the sound, which was coming from the east. There she saw a small crowd that was set off a bit from the rest of the throng of the capital city.

She approached the smaller crowd and craned her neck to see what they were watching. She had to walk around a bit to find a spot that provided her with a view, and found the source of the music. A man in a tan and burgundy leather costume sat on a stool, playing a violin with great proficiency. And he wasn't alone.

Just as the song the violinist played was to the audience member's ears, the woman who performed with him was to their eyes. She danced with such perfection that one would think the song had been written specifically for her. The woman's loose, flowing garments twirled around her, as much a part of the dance as the rest of her.

Lilya became so immersed in the duo's performance that she completely forgot about what she'd been on her way to do. She began to sway, ever so slightly, with the violinist's tune, though she was unaware of her movement. She also didn't notice the man who stood behind her for a few minutes before speaking.

"It suits you," he said at last.

Lilya turned quickly. Though the voice was not yet familiar, she knew who it would be. When her eyes met his, her heart began to pound wildly.

"Mister-- I-I mean, Juris, good evening," she greeted him awkwardly.

"Hello, Lilya," he replied with a slight dip of his head. "Enjoying the music?"

"It's beautiful. I've never heard anything like it."

"Bards and dancers are trained in Comodo," Juris explained. "I understand that some of the songs they perform are native to that town."

"Comodo…" Lilya echoed. She'd heard of the lively town west of Morroc, but had never had a reason to go there.

"Have you had supper yet?" the crusader changed the subject.

It was then that Lilya first noticed that the sun had gone down. Streetlights still kept this part of the city lit, but the sky was dark. Juris had finally come, and she had to leave.

"No, I haven't, but I can't stay any longer, unfortunately."

"No?"

"My father will be expecting me home soon."

Juris nodded slowly. "So you finished your shopping?"

Lilya laughed weakly. "Actually, no. I was on my way to pick up the gift when I was distracted."

"Let me walk with you then. Which way?"

Lilya had never been more nervous than right now, walking through Prontera with Juris Aganar at her side.

"Are you certain you cannot stay and have supper with me? We can send word to Pherick to inform him that you will be a bit late, if it would help."

Lilya thought for a moment, but the decision was not a difficult one to make. How could her father be angry with her for spending time with the man he'd selected for her and practically forced upon her?

By this point, she could see the merchant she was looking for. She only hoped he hadn't sold the hat.

"As long as he knows not to expect me for supper, I suppose it should be alright. Here is the shop I was looking for too." She gestured toward the merchant.

"Go ahead, I'll inform your father in the meantime." He reached toward a small, round device on his arm. He would use it to contact Pherick through a similar device that he owned as well.

Lilya knew a little of the objects, called com-discs, but only what she'd learned from Eilenam. She did not have one of her own, of course, though she didn't know if it was because they were restricted to use only by members of the class guilds, or if it was merely her father who didn't want her to have one. Having a com-disc of her own would certainly make contact with Juris much easier. Maybe she would ask him what he knew of the policy for the discs.

The merchant did still have the hat she wanted, and she paid him for it. When she turned back around, she found Juris already finished with his conversation. He looked at her comically.

"A poring hat, hm?"

"Yes, well, Eil has always had strange tastes. I thought this would be perfect for her."

Juris chuckled. "From what I recall of your friend, somehow I can't see her wearing a poring on her head."

"She's just shy around people she doesn't know," Lilya explained. "Trust me, she has much more bizarre hats than this."

Juris ushered her in a direction that she didn't quite understand, as it was opposite of the pub.

"The pub is not the only place to eat in Prontera," he assured her. "It's not the best place to eat either."

"I didn't know that," she mused, idly placing the hat on her head.

"I don't think most people know that."

"Hey, you don't think they actually make these hats out of real porings, do you?"

Juris laughed.

* * *

_This chapter's theme: Legato_


	9. Stubborn

_A/N: Thanks to FireyFlames for dragging me back into this. XD I can't promise I won't take a while between updates, but I'm going to try to go ahead and finish this one next, even though it wasn't next on my list to finish (the one that _was_ next on my list is just taking too long). So - ask, and ye shall receive.  
_

_

* * *

_

Over the next few weeks, Lilya received more letters from Juris and replied in kind. He also visited her in Payon when he could find the time, which was not often. She still felt very tense around him, but she could only hope that would fade with time.

On his second visit, Juris surprised Lilya when he brought up the subject of the dancer in Prontera.

"I'll admit I've thought about it too," Lilya confessed.

Juris smiled. "I had a feeling you would. I could tell that dancer made an impression on you."

"It never bothered me very much that I didn't get to learn to fight and all that, except maybe when I was younger and all my friends were becoming novices, and I couldn't. But I've always lived with it."

Juris nodded, but said nothing, knowing she would continue.

"This is the first time I've seen anything to make me wish things had been different."

"Is it at all possible that things could be different now?"

With those words, Juris sent Lilya on a whole new quest. He was right – if the man she was meant to marry was okay with her being a dancer, why should their fathers disagree? She knew it wouldn't be that easy to convince them, so she decided to start by doing as much research on the matter as she could.

It wasn't always easy finding time out of the house to learn about the path she wanted to follow, but she was determined. She started with the only thing she knew, which was that dancers were from Comodo.

In Comodo, she learned that she would have to train as an archer before she could become a dancer. Back in Payon, Eilenam went with Lilya to the archer guild house in the bordering village. There she introduced her friend to some of the people in charge.

The archer guild leader informed Lilya that she would first have to go through novice training. That part she already knew, and she wasn't looking forward to it. Novices were children; she would feel foolish training alongside them.

She would do it though, with no hesitation. She would endure whatever mockery would fall on her, going through these stages at such an older age. As long as, in the end, she became a dancer.

She spent hours at the archer guild house, soaking up knowledge about them – the grace and agility with which they fought and the power they could wield with a bow and arrow. She hadn't been able to stay in Comodo long, so she didn't yet understand what dancers even had to do with fighting monsters, but she could certainly see why this class made a good pre-cursor.

Eilenam was giddy at the thought of her best friend possibly becoming the same class as her. Of course, she tried to convince her that she should advance to a hunter later, but Lilya only laughed at that.

At dinner that night, sitting across the table from her father, her laughter ended.

"What did you do today, Lilya?" he asked her innocently enough. It was a common question at dinner, though sometimes it felt to her like an interrogation.

"I spent most of it with Eilenam," she answered cagily.

"Oh? Where did you two go?"

"Archer Village," she answered honestly.

He looked at her curiously. "What could be of interest to you there?"

_And here we go_, she thought as her heart began to race at the anticipation of this confrontation. She could have lied to him – she did consider it – but she knew she'd have to tell him eventually, and he'd given her an opening.

"Well, Father, we visited the archer guild house."

His eyes narrowed quickly, and she continued quickly.

"I talked to Juris about it, and he says he's okay with me going through the training. And if he doesn't mind me becoming a dancer, isn't that all that matters?"

"What?" Pherick bellowed. "You think you're going to become a dancer now?"

"I was hoping for the chance," she replied quietly. "Juris--"

"It's not going to work," he interrupted her, marginally more calm now. "I'm not as stupid as you think, dear. Do you think I've forgotten your attempts last time?"

Lilya's heart sank as she realized that he assumed she was just making all of this up as another plan to break the engagement. "No, Father, Juris really did--"

He cut her off again. "No. You have either used your deceptive wiles to convince him of this, or you are lying to me about him even knowing any of this. Either way, it stops right now, because I will not have it."

Lilya couldn't stop the tears that suddenly filled her eyes from falling. "Please, you have to believe me! Talk to him yourself! He said as long as you would agree--"

"But I don't agree. And neither would his father, who understands the importance of this as much as I do. Now, this discussion is over, and before you get any ideas to become a novice behind my back, remember one thing. You need a parent's written permission to enter the training, and you most certainly will not have that."

The rest of dinner was silent. Lilya mostly stared at her food, inedible to her now, and not just because of the tears that had fallen into it. When her father finished and stood to leave, she stopped him as he walked by her.

"Father, must we have a party for my birthday?"

Pherick sighed. "As much as I would like to cancel it and let you sit alone in the dark all that day, let me remind you that it is your eighteenth. You know the tradition we keep for our daughters' special birthdays."

The tradition he was referring to was a ball, which would ultimately be similar to the engagement party they'd had only recently. It was only kept by the families in Pherick's social circle – the officials, nobles, and other wealthy families of Rune-Midgard. Eilenam would never be forced to endure such a gathering for her eighteenth birthday.

"Also let me assure you that Guile and Juris Aganar will both be invited, and I expect you to act civilly." He moved to leave, then stopped. "Perhaps if you would spend some of this time you use devising tactics to thwart our arrangement to become better acquainted with Juris, you wouldn't be so opposed to marrying him."

Lilya considered trying to convince her father that it was no longer her goal to break the engagement, and that she had been getting to know Juris…and that she even really liked him. But she didn't think he would believe her.

"Can I at least stay the night at Eilenam's after the birthday party?" she only asked.

"Fine," he answered curtly as he left the dining room.

* * *

The next day, she told Eilenam about the altercation at dinner the night before. She ranted for an hour, the way one only can with their best friend, saying things about her father that she didn't really mean, but for the moment, helped her feel marginally better.

"I know it doesn't help much," Eilen said after she'd finally slowed down in her ramblings, "but think about this. At least – okay? – _at least_ when you marry Juris, you won't have to live with your father anymore. You'll have your own family, and you can choose when you want to visit your father, or if you just want to stay home with your husband and kids."

Lilya looked at her with horror at that last word.

Eilen did her best to correct her mistake quickly. "Kids _someday_ – someday _far_ away, I'm sure! Juris seems like a nice guy; I'm sure he'll let you wait until you're ready to have kids."

Lilya sat down heavily on her bed, and Eilenam walked over to the desk.

"Is this the latest one?" she asked, holding up a letter.

It was the most recent one she'd received from Juris, so she nodded. The room was silent for a few minutes as Eilenam read, and then she suddenly started laughing.

She quoted from the letter, "'I am so pleased we have finally been able to have lasting conversations recently. Now, when I read your letters, I can hear your beautiful voice speaking the words to me.' That is so sweet, and yet, so very funny."

Lilya stood up and walked over to her, snatching the letter from her hand angrily. "If you're going to make fun of them, you don't get to read them."

* * *

_This chapter's theme: Ostinato_


	10. Relief

Lilya found herself spending more and more of her free time in the garden alone. There were now four months left until Lilya's wedding. Before that, there was her eighteenth birthday party, which would take place three months before the wedding.

On one particular day, two weeks before her birthday, Lilya was in the garden, reading her favorite book on a stone bench. She had chosen her favorite book, not because she was in the mood to read it, but because she had already read it so many times. She knew she wasn't going to actually concentrate on reading, so there was no point in trying to start on anything new.

Instead, she stared at the pages, while her mind wandered. She imagined herself doing this for the rest of her life. Sitting on a bench, or perhaps in a more comfortable chair inside – she had no idea what sort of house she and her husband would even have – reading alone while the world passed her by.

She would sit alone and read while Juris was out on some mission for the crusader guild. She would sit alone and read while her young children took afternoon naps and Juris was in a dungeon somewhere, battling monsters. She would sit alone and read while her now older children were out training to be novices, and Juris was training other fortunate young people how to be crusaders like him. Then he would come home from work and say--

"Hello, Lilya," she heard behind her, severely startling her. She jumped up and turned around, almost dropping the book she'd been ignoring. She quickly placed that on the bench.

"I'm sorry; I did not mean to alarm you."

"Juris! No, it's fine." Her heart was still hammering from the surprise, but seeing him suddenly standing there was only making it pound more furiously. "I just didn't know you were coming today."

"I didn't know either. I found myself with the rest of the day off, and I've been needing to see you about something."

He moved closer to her, and she could see he was holding a small, flat box. Before he reached her though, he stopped and pushed the box into his pocket.

"I'm sorry," he said unexpectedly. "Should I have informed you of my visit before coming?"

Lilya furrowed her brow in confusion. "No, really. I don't mind."

"Then something else has you upset?"

"I suppose so," she said. It was almost as if she'd forgotten her troubles when he showed up. How he could so easily tell she was unhappy, she didn't know.

"What is it?"

"I…I thought…." She took a deep breath and started again. "I thought I had a chance to do what I wanted." Then she relayed everything she'd been doing since they last met. After she told him of Pherick's reaction to her request, she raised her hands to cover her face in exasperation.

"I can't believe I let myself get my hopes up so high. I knew – I _knew_ my father would never let me become a dancer. _Why_ did I delude myself into going through all that trouble--"

She stopped talking, because a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around her. Juris had come to stand next to her, and had embraced her from the side. It was an uncomfortable position, because her arms were still raised in front of her. He soon gave her room to turn, and she did, toward him.

She couldn't help but notice now how short he really was, as she let her head rest awkwardly on his shoulder. He was only a few inches taller than her, if any at all. She had lowered her arms, but now she didn't know what to do with them. She clasped them tightly in front of her, and hoped he couldn't feel how tense she was.

It occurred to Lilya that this was the first time they'd really had any physical contact outside of a handshake. And she felt completely foolish.

She pulled away, saying, "I'm sorry. I cannot keep getting so emotional over this. I know I need to accept my life the way it is."

She looked at Juris, and he was smiling.

"Do you remember you once told me that your father expects me to," he shook his head, but didn't lose the amused look on his face, "take over the planning of your life once we are married?" Without waiting for a response, he continued. "I believe I told you that I have no desire to dictate your future."

Lilya remembered the letter. It was the same one in which he'd announced his visit. The rest of the letter did not receive nearly as much attention.

Juris walked over to his fiancée and gingerly took her hand in his. "I said once that I only want you to be happy, and I meant it."

She thought she understood what he was saying, but she was not willing to take the jump in meaning herself. She said nothing, waiting for him to complete his thought.

"Once we are married, Lilya, you are welcome to become a dancer – or another class, if you've discovered something you like better by then."

Lilya was ecstatic, though she tried to hold back a little. Still, she couldn't stop a smile from spreading across her face. Juris squeezed her hand when he saw that.

"I'll even come with you to the novice entry hall after the wedding, on that same day, if you want."

"Knowing our fathers, the wedding will be an all-day affair. We'll go the day after!"

Juris laughed at that. "Absolutely." He waited a few seconds, and then changed the subject. "I did have something else to discuss with you on this visit."

"Yes, of course," she said, remembering the box.

He gestured for her to sit on the bench they were standing in front of, and he sat next to her. He turned to face her as he retrieved the box from his pocket.

"Happy birthday," he said as he held it out to her.

"A birthday present? But you're two weeks early."

"I know, but I wanted to give it to you now."

She hadn't taken the box yet, so he placed it into her hands.

"Will you be unable to attend the party?" she guessed, hoping that the disappointment that arose with the possibility was not evident. She did take the box, but left it closed still.

"Oh, no, I will most certainly be here for that," he assured her. "Please, just open the box, and I will explain the premature delivery."

Lilya lifted the lid off with high anticipation, and she was not disappointed. She caught her breath as she saw the beautiful necklace that lay inside. She picked it up to look at it closely. Hanging on a delicate gold chain was a pendant that consisted of three small diamonds surrounding a larger green gem in the center.

She looked at Juris with surprise. "Did you know that green was my favorite color, or are you just a lucky guesser?"

He winked at her, and, for a moment, Lilya thought he wouldn't answer. "Eilenam might have helped a little. She also said you wouldn't like something large and flashy, but I do hope it is not too small."

"No, it's perfect. It's amazing! Why did you need to give it to me early?"

"Partly because I was hoping you would wear it _to_ your birthday party. But I wanted to come see you anyway, to ask you something about the party. At our engagement party, we had only just met, and we were so stiff and formal with each other."

"Understatement," Lilya couldn't help but interject as she gently laid the necklace back in the box. Once she'd set the box down on in her lap, Juris took her hand again.

"Well, I thought perhaps we could make up for that at the ball. Would you allow me to be your escort for the evening?"

"Oh," Lilya giggled. "It's very sweet of you to ask." She stopped herself before pointing out that Pherick would already be expecting Juris to escort her. There really was no choice in the matter. But she didn't tell Juris that. She was quite sure he already knew, which meant he asked her so she could feel like she had an option.

"Juris, I would be honored to have you as my date."

"In that case, can I take you to supper tonight as well?" He gave her a sly smile, which she found adorable.

Lilya laughed as she stood up, and he followed suit.

"That sounds good to me; meals around here are so tense these days. You should probably tell my father why I won't be home for dinner though. I don't think he trusts me at all anymore."

Both of them turned to head inside, but Lilya stopped before they reached the door.

"Juris…"

He stopped and looked at her questioningly.

"What if you change your mind?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"What happens if, years from now, you're upset because I'm not home enough or something. What if you regret letting me become a dancer?"

"Let me make one thing clear first. I am not 'letting you' become anything. I am giving you the freedom to do what you want."

Lilya rolled her eyes. "Fine then, what if you regret giving me the freedom--"

"I'm not worried," Juris interrupted her. "When two people love each other, they will find time to spend together."

Lilya felt her cheeks warm, and she turned back toward the house. Even she knew that his statement was incredibly idealistic, but it was still sweet. Of course, now she would spend the next week discussing that comment with Eilenam, questioning if he had just said he loved her, or if it was a hypothetical statement.

* * *

_This chapter's theme: Leitmotif_


	11. Lilya's Choice

Lilya walked slowly up the middle of the silent room. Her heart was pounding furiously; she was terrified that something would go wrong. She'd made it this far though, and soon, there would be nothing her father could do.

She walked up to the counter and loudly announced her purpose for being here.

"Hello, I am here to become a novice."

To his credit, the man behind the counter subdued his reaction to the eighteen-year-old applying for a child's position. He only raised his eyebrow as he asked for her name and began filling out a piece of paper. After a few more questions, he told her to wait in a chair nearby while he got her admission in order.

She sat and waited impatiently, her mind racing. She still couldn't believe she was here now. She kept expecting her father to come in the door and drag her back home. He couldn't actually do that now that she was eighteen, but it would still be quite the scene.

Pherick could only blame himself for this anyway – at least, that was how Lilya saw it. He had reminded her that she would need his permission to become a novice, which she didn't pay much attention to at the time. However, when she was at Eilenam's house after her birthday ball, her friend pointed out that the requirement of a parent's permission wasn't applicable after the eighteenth birthday.

Lilya had made Eilen crazy all the rest of that night, trying to decide whether or not to go to the novice entry hall the next day. Now that she was here, she knew she'd made the right choice. Even still, she didn't plan on telling her father. She'd rather avoid that explosion as long as possible.

"Miss Truus," the man behind the counter addressed her as he emerged from another room. "You're all set, but there are a few things I want to discuss with you before we get started. Come with me, please."

Lilya jumped up and followed him, very curious about what he had to say.

"I'm not sure if you know this yet, but your novice training should take less than half the normal time to complete. Novices do usually tend to be much younger and still have a lot of basic education to go through."

The man headed for the door he'd just come out of and gestured for Lilya to walk in ahead of him. As he followed her through, he continued.

"Your time as a novice will only be spent learning basic combat skills, so…."

They exited the entry room, leaving it seemingly empty. There was a man near the front doors though, mostly in the shadows. He had come in unnoticed while Lilya waited in the chair. He'd thought about revealing himself to her and asking her not to go through with this now. But he didn't. He had told her it was her choice to make, and she had made it.

Juris stepped back outside and sighed. He really did care deeply for Lilya. He knew what would happen next, and he was going to miss her very much.

* * *

_This chapter's theme: Incidental music_

_A/N: Sorry this chapter is so very short - the last time a theme produced a short result, I was able to combine it with the next one. However, the one after this is long enough on its own, so this one has to be alone. There will hopefully be another chapter up very soon. Oh, and no, there isn't anything missing between this one and the previous one; this is just how the story goes.  
_


	12. In Agreement

The week after Lilya became a novice was quiet all over.

Pherick was satisfied with the progress his daughter seemed to have made. He had watched her with Juris at the ball as the two talked and danced and appeared to be genuinely getting along. Both Guile and Juris Aganar were busy with work, as usual. Even Eilenam was too busy preparing for her hunter test to go out training with Lily during the new novice's first week.

That left Lilya mostly alone for that week. Her tutors still came on the weekdays, but she managed to shift her classes around so that none of them started too early. On the weekend, and early in the morning on the weekdays, Lilya trained. She took some basic training courses at the novice house when they coincided with her free time. When there were no classes to take, she practiced what she had learned on porings or pupas.

One week after her birthday, though, the explosion she'd tried to avoid by not telling her father happened anyway. It just wasn't quite like she'd imagined it would be.

She came back from training earlier than usual that morning. She had two hours before Miss Aylin would come, and she wanted to take a nap. All of the short nights lately were starting to wear on her, and she was exhausted.

Before she could fall asleep, there was an insistent rapping on her door. She groaned as she climbed back out of bed, and smoothed her hair down, hoping she didn't look like she'd just woken up. When she opened the door, she backed into her room quickly.

Her father stood there, filling the doorway with his tall frame, looking more imposing than usual. His face was flushed, but he wasn't even scowling. Lilya wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew it was bad.

"Get dressed," he said flatly. "Meet me in the foyer in five minutes."

"Where are we--?"

He left, slamming the door behind him.

Lilya scrambled to change into clean clothes quickly, then rushed to meet her father. He said nothing as he led her out of the house. She followed him to the center of Payon, where Pherick handed a blue gemstone to a priest. No words were even exchanged between the two men; the priest simply opened a loud, bright portal on the ground, and Pherick motioned Lilya in.

They walked through Prontera at a brisk pace, and Lilya began to panic.

_He knows! He knows, he knows! How could he possibly know?_

She had no idea where they were going. They were headed toward the northwest corner of the city, far away from the crowds.

_It doesn't matter how. He knows. He knows, and he's taking me somewhere quiet to kill me._

Just inside the city wall, a number of large, stately houses stood in a line. Pherick walked up to one of the smaller ones and used the doorknocker.

Lilya knew now. This must be the Aganar's house. He had brought her here to tell Guile what she had done. She didn't even want to think about what _two_ wealthy, uptight, angry men could invent as punishment for her. Hopefully Juris would still be on her side.

In a few minutes, they were inside, being led to the library by a woman who could only be Juris's mother. She didn't introduce herself, but she bore a striking resemblance to him. She gestured toward an open door and told them to go on in, and then she walked back down the hall.

In the library, they found Guile and Juris waiting. The grave looks on both of their faces made it clear to Lilya that they already knew about her. Still, Juris walked over to her to say hello. He had a sad smile on his face. Lilya felt sick to her stomach.

"I appreciate you both coming," Guile said solemnly.

The way he was acting, Lilya thought someone must have died.

"I only wish it were under better circumstances," he added.

_Yep, someone definitely died_, Lilya thought.

"Mr. Aganar, I can only tell you how sorry I am about what has happened," Pherick said. "I had no idea she would do this."

Lilya sighed to herself. She couldn't believe how much disregard her father had for her. He was going to paint her as the rebellious daughter who had no respect for authority, and she was just expected to stand here and take it.

"Mr. Truus, I can tell you I am sorry too. I had such high expectations for this union."

"Oh, please, don't lose hope now," Pherick pleaded. "I'm sure we can still make this right."

Granted, Lilya _had _disobeyed her father, but who could blame her under these circumstances?

"I don't see how," Guile replied with a shake of his head.

Lilya looked at Juris standing next to her. "Why am I even here? They're going to decide everything for me anyway. Couldn't they just tell me later what they come up with?"

Juris glanced at her and, in a low voice, said, "There's nothing to decide."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry, but my father only invited the two of you here as a formality. This is all just a show."

"A show for what, exactly?"

Guile walked over to her then and looked down at her haughtily. "From what I have heard, this will just make your day. Our arrangement is off."

Lilya looked quickly at Juris, but he was staring at his father.

"Mr. Aganar, please, let's not be so hasty," Pherick said. "What if she quits?"

"What?" Lilya cried.

"Pherick, if you couldn't control her enough to keep her from becoming a novice in the first place, I highly doubt you can get her to quit." With that, Guile walked out of the room.

Pherick followed, still trying to plead his case.

Lilya was appalled. She sat down in the nearest chair, put her head in her hands, and began to cry.

Juris was quiet for a few minutes as she wept, then he spoke.

"Lilya, I must apologize for the way my father has treated you."

She looked up at him with surprise; she hadn't realized he was still in the room.

"To my own father I'm nothing but a bargaining chip; what does it matter how yours treats me?" she pointed out.

He walked over to her and knelt down beside her. "Look on the bright side," he said, offering her a handkerchief. "At least he put an end to this ridiculous engagement."

Lilya wiped her tears away with the handkerchief. "I did notice that. Suppose that is a good thing, yeah."

"I think you discovered the one thing that would back my father out of this deal, and just in time."

"Well, I have to tell you that it was not my intention to do that."

"No? I assumed that was why you enrolled when you did. If it wasn't an attempt to end the engagement, why did you do it now? Why didn't you wait until we were married, as I had suggested?"

Lilya studied his face for a moment. He looked hurt by this revelation. "I didn't really think about that part of it, honestly. I figured I could hide it from my father for the next few months, and get an early start on my novice training. I have no idea how he found out, but I suppose it was for the best anyway."

"My father is the one who told him about it, actually."

"Oh? And how did he come across this information?"

Juris stood back up and pulled another chair over near her. "You see," he began as he sat down, "the novice guild periodically sends out lists of their new members. The lists contain the names of the new novices that are looking to join the other class guilds, so they know what to prepare for in the future. Your name was sent to the archer guild, and my uncle works there."

Lilya closed her eyes. She remembered her father talking about him. She wished she'd known about those lists.

"He thought he was doing me a favor."

They were both silent for a few seconds. Lilya stared at her hands, which were wringing the handkerchief in apprehension. She snuck a glance at Juris out of the corner of her eye, and he was frowning.

"Are you upset with me?" she asked him, looking back at her lap.

He sighed heavily, and then chuckled. "No, of course not. None of this is your fault."

She looked up at him now, relieved to see him smiling. She had been so worried that he would hate her for ruining everything.

"The last nine months have been surreal," she mused. "Everything was upside-down, and I was so scared about the future."

"What do you think your father will do now?"

"He'd better not do anything. I'm eighteen now; I'll move out before I let him rule my life anymore."

Juris let out a short laugh. "I suppose one good thing did come out of all of this." He reached over and took one of her hands between both of his. "I never would have met you if it weren't for this mess."

Lilya felt a familiar warmth spread across her face. The man certainly had a way with words.

"I know it was awkward at the beginning, but I really have enjoyed becoming friends with you. I only hope that we will remain in touch, though we are no longer being forced together."

Then Lilya realized just what was going on here. She'd been so busy thinking about one side of this situation that she'd forgotten about the other side – the side where she and Juris were no longer engaged. They no longer had any official ties at all. She wasn't sure that was such a good thing.

"I…I definitely still want to be friends," she said, adding a tentative, "at the least."

He squeezed her hand at those last words. "I had wondered what you would think…about us continuing on with this relationship. On our own terms, at a normal pace."

"Um…yeah, I--" Lilya felt like an inarticulate fool. She was so nervous that she couldn't make her words come out like she wanted them to. "I would very much like to keep seeing you," she finally expressed, hoping he didn't find as much blandness in her words as she did.

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear that." He stood up, gently pulling her with him. "If you'll excuse me, I must find my father and have a word with him. I would like to stop him before he tries this again."

"I think we're both going to have some rough days ahead," Lilya groaned. "I can only hope we both come out alive."

Juris laughed, and Lilya's heart jumped.

"I will contact you soon; I'd like to have dinner together again sometime soon." He reached up with his hand and stroked her cheek lightly with his thumb.

Lilya completely melted at his touch, and only just managed to breathe, "Okay."

He embraced her for a moment, and then turned and left. He walked away quickly, forcing himself to keep moving. He feared that if he stayed with her any longer, he'd say more than he should.

He wanted to tell her that he was in love with her, and that he wanted to marry her anyway, if only she'd have him. But he knew he couldn't. She'd only just turned eighteen, become a novice, and gotten her life back. She would need time to adjust and find out who she was, and if she even had room in her life for a crusader who was six years older than her. In the meantime, he would wait.

* * *

_Today's theme: Unison_


	13. Transition

The first thing that Lilya did when she and her father returned home was to warn him not to try this again with someone else. So much was different now, including her strong desire to stand up to him.

"I wasn't happy, but I accepted it the first time," she said.

Pherick scoffed at what she considered "acceptance."

"I was still naïve; I actually thought you were doing what was best for me. But don't think for a moment that if you try this again, I will allow it. If I am to marry someone, it will be a man of my own choosing."

"Sweetheart, what makes you think you can do any better than I did? Where will you meet this man – killing porings together in the beginner fields?"

Lilya had a hard time answering that, since the man she was seeing _was_ one her father had found for her. She certainly couldn't let that condescending remark win though.

"Whatever choice I make will be better because I will be marrying for love, not wealth, power, or whatever it is that Guile Aganar offered you."

That spun them into the first of many parallel arguments.

"Why don't you just tell me what was in it for you?" she would ask.

"That is none of your business, young lady."

"I think that including me in the deal made it my business. So come on, share. What is it that had you chasing after Mr. Aganar on all fours, licking his boots?"

"Don't you dare talk to me like that! It doesn't even matter anymore; you've put an end to it, remember?"

"I know, Father, but I still want to know what was so important for you to--"

"Enough with that already! You used that same over-exaggerated argument for six months; don't you think it's about time to retire it? Your life isn't ruined, is it?"

"Only because you didn't get your way!"

"I suppose it is for the best that it didn't work out with Mr. Aganar. You are far too childish to be a wife yet."

"You're quite right, Father. I am only eighteen years old. I have spent all of my life as an adult, and now I finally get to play with the other kids!"

The slam of a door usually punctuated the end of these fights. For a month after the engagement was called off, Lilya and her father only spoke to have the same basic argument over and over. That is why they mostly avoided each other.

Lilya was home only to attend her tutoring sessions, sleep, and, occasionally, eat meals. When she wasn't at home, she spent most of her time training. Most often, she trained alone, but sometimes Eilenem or Juris would keep her company.

Months went by, and Lilya went home less and less. She passed her final tests and graduate, thus saying goodbye to her tutors forever. She also ate as many meals as she could away from home, and accepted numerous offers to stay the night at Eilenam's house. Once she found out that the Prontera inn had a policy that novices stayed for free, she checked in, hoping they'd let her stay until she was an archer.

She became an archer a week later. Both of her friends had congratulatory gifts for her.

She had been saving for a com-disc since she became a novice, but the discs were expensive. She was nowhere near close to having enough money to buy one, and she couldn't even consider asking her father for it. Therefore, when she opened the small box Juris gave her and saw a disc laying inside, she was elated. She said thank you with a kiss on the cheek, and this time, she saw _him_ blush.

Eilen's gift for her was a proposition. She had just turned eighteen herself, and was scheduled to take her hunter test in a few weeks. Between those facts and Lilya's situation at home, Eilenam suggested that the two friends rent a house together. It wasn't hard for Lilya to decide.

What was a little more difficult was deciding whether to tell her father she was moving, or just pack and leave in silence. Reluctantly, she went with telling him – partly because Juris reminded her that he was still her father, after all, and partly so he wouldn't send the authorities out after her when he discovered her bare room someday.

He didn't have much to say when she told him, but she had expected that. What she hadn't expected was the envelope that she found on her desk the morning of the move. It was from her father; inside she found ten thousand zeny and a letter. In the most unembellished way possible, he stated that the money was to help her get started in her new place and that, once it was gone, she was on her own.

She had no idea why her father had decided to do this for her, but at least she wouldn't be spending all of her savings on rent during the first few months. She wouldn't need much more than her savings for rent even after that, but she didn't know it yet.

* * *

_This chapter's theme: Rubato (Italian: stolen)_


	14. Collegato

Over the next six months, Lilya's life smoothed out a lot. She had a house she actually liked coming home to, she was thoroughly enjoying her archer training, and she had a boyfriend by _choice_, no matter how the relationship got its start. Then, Eilenam made a change in her own life that she couldn't help but drag Lilya along for.

"We should join a guild!" Eilen announced one evening.

"A guild?" Lilya repeated skeptically.

Eilenam misunderstood her friend's reaction and began to explain what she meant.

"There are two different types of guilds, see? The class guilds are one kind; they're government-sanctioned, run by stuffy officials, and bound by a lot of physical and magical laws. Everyone belongs to one of those."

Noticing her friend's raised eyebrows, Eilen quickly added, "Oh, I know not _everyone_ belongs to a class guild, but you know what I mean, right?"

Lilya was thinking more about the "stuffy officials" part. Juris was supposed to be the crusader guild leader someday, after all. She said nothing as Eilenam continued.

"A personal guild can be run by anyone who wants to start one, and it is usually a mixture of classes. They're good for finding people to train and adventure with, and--"

"You sound like a recruitment poster, Eil," Lilya finally stopped her. "I knew what you meant about joining a guild."

"Oh," Eilenam said, slightly deflated. "In that case, what do you think?"

"I don't know if I'm ready for that yet."

"What's to be ready for? It's not like you have to try out to join."

"Eil, I haven't even been an archer that long yet. I don't really need to have more responsibilities piled on me."

"You act like being in a guild is work. We do get to choose what guild we join, you know. So we'll find one that's _fun_!" Seeing that her friend still wasn't convinced, Eilenam said, "Guild mates often help each other train, too. No more boring afternoons when me or your boyfriend are busy."

"I don't mind fighting alone. I've gotten used to solitude in my life."

Eilenam sighed. "That doesn't mean you have to always be alone. Besides, being in a guild doesn't mean you always have to party with someone, either. Why is this such a big deal anyway? I thought you'd like this social opportunity."

"It's not a big deal, I guess," Lilya shrugged. "We can look and see what's out there – find something that suits us. What I don't get is why _you_ want to do this so badly. You usually hate meeting new people."

"Yes, and that's another great thing about being in a guild. I'd no longer have to meet whole new people _every_ time I want help in a dungeon or something. I just have to get to know the people once, and I'm set for life."

Lilya couldn't help but laugh. It might not be that simple, but she certainly didn't know enough about it to debate her friend.

* * *

Two weeks later, the archer and hunter were in what Lilya thought was a very unusual place to meet the leader of the guild Eilenam wanted them to join. They were standing outside of a castle – one of five in a burned-down forest just west of Payon.

While they waited for the leader, Eilenam explained the castles to Lilya. They were the playing field for a guild competition. They were also part of the reward for winning. The game was called War of Emperium, and the guild that Eilenam had them visiting that day was a regular competitor.

When the door to the castle they were standing in front of opened, the girls fell silent. A woman rushed out and greeted them. She wore an attractive brown dress that fell down just above her knees, and long, violet gloves that reached almost to her shoulders. Lilya was sure she'd never seen anyone in this class uniform before.

"I am sorry I'm late," she said when she reached Lilya and Eilenam. "I appreciate you both meeting me here; my name is Missy."

She shook their hands individually as they introduced themselves.

"Well, I've told you most of the basic, boring stuff over the com-disc already, so that's out of the way," Missy said. "War of Emperium is a big part of our guild though, so this is a good place to talk about that."

Lilya glanced at her friend. She didn't know anything about this guild competition until today, and she certainly didn't care to involve herself in some war.

Missy seemed to notice the look. "Don't worry, participation in the games is not a requirement for membership. Anyone is welcome to take part if they want, or be scarce for the weekend if they don't."

"Weekend?" Lilya asked.

Eilen nudged her. "War of Emperium is only played every other weekend."

"Right," Missy acknowledged.

"If I remember right, this weekend is one of them, isn't it?"

"Yes, and we will be defending our castle."

Lilya's eyes widened. "Are they fighting in there now?"

"No, no, don't worry," Missy laughed. "It starts on Saturday – tomorrow. That's why a majority of Collegato members are out right now; they're stocking up on supplies or getting in some last-minute training. That makes it a perfect time to show potential new members around the castle."

"Do you…live here?" Lilya asked in amazement as they walked through the large, wooden door.

"Most of us. As long as we retain the castle, it's ours to live in."

"It makes our place seem pretty shabby, doesn't it?" Eilenam joked.

"It's definitely a nice perk for being part of a guild," Lilya agreed.

"There is something that it is important for you to understand though," Missy warned them. "At any time we could lose this castle to another guild. All of the members are wise to have somewhere else to go if that were to happen. For all we know, you could join tonight and we could be out in two days. Out of the castle, that is – not the guild." She reached up and smoothed her long, white hair down.

They left the entry room and stepped into a wide hallway, just as someone else came running from the opposite direction. It was a man dressed in a uniform just like the one Juris wore, which meant he must be a crusader.

"Miguel!" Missy cried. "What's going on?"

"Missy!" He saw the girls she was standing with, and his face flushed a deep red. "I'm sorry! Jonathan gave me a couple of oridecon from the guild stock, and I want to go get my sword strengthened for tomorrow."

"Well, go then; don't let me stop you."

He ran off, and Missy continued into the building, followed by Lilya and Eilen. She took them first to a large room with about thirty chairs. They were all empty, except two in the front. Two knights sat in the front, facing each other, and seemed deeply involved in whatever they were discussing.

"This is our conference room," Missy explained. "We use it whenever we need to have a guild meeting, and our War of Emperium leaders tend to discuss the upcoming strategy in here. It's one of the few rooms that manages to stay remotely quiet."

She stepped into the room, but Eilenam and Lilya stayed in the doorway.

"Alorinna, Valoris," Missy called to the knights.

"Hey, Missy," Alorinna greeted her. Nodding toward the two in the doorway, she asked, "New members?"

"They're considering us. This is Eilenam," she gestured at the hunter, then at the archer, "and Lilya."

"Nice to meet you," Alorinna smiled. "For what it's worth, this is a great guild; I hope you both join us."

"Are they interested in War of Emperium?" Valoris wanted to know.

"I believe Eilenam is," Missy answered, glancing at the hunter, who nodded with a grin. "You may see her again soon."

As they left the room with a wave to the knights, Missy told them, "Alorinna leads our War of Emperium games. She's been such a help – I've never been very good with strategy. Valoris helps her out now and then, which has finally given her a break in her work. If you do join us, he'll be the one you'll want to talk to if you want more detailed information on how the game is played."

As they walked through halls and turned corners, stopping to look in a few rooms along the way, Missy shared more information about the guild. She touched on the guild's blacksmith, and the system Collegato had adapted for creating weapons for its members. She didn't go into depth though, since neither hunters nor archers used forged weapons.

"You may, however, want to take advantage of a similar system for potions. Once you start using condensed potions, you'll never want to see the regular kind again. In fact, here's my lab now."

She opened the door to a room that appeared very cluttered. In the back was a table, piled high with bottles of varying sizes and shapes – some were empty, some had potions in them already. Along one wall was a small bookshelf, and along the other, boxes overflowing with herbs of various colors.

Lilya at least knew one thing now – the guild leader was an alchemist. She was reminded of how new she was to this world. She was eager to catch up to where she should be by now. Even though she may never be _fully_ caught up, the best way to try was to join a guild like this and be immersed in it.

As far as she was concerned, Collegato was a fine choice. Eilenam certainly seemed happy with it.

"That crusader was kinda cute, don't you think?" the hunter asked as they left the castle.

* * *

_This chapter's theme: Encore (theme used a second time), that being: Mosso (Italian: moved, agitated)_


	15. Bound Forward

Lilya and Eilenam joined Collegato in time for the latter girl to help the guild in the next War of Emperium. They waited a week to move in, though, because that was how much longer they had already paid rent on their house.

Living in a castle was bizarre by itself, but living in a castle full of people took a lot of adaptation. They shared everything—the handful of bathrooms, the cooking and cleaning responsibilities, mealtime, and the dungeon that was apparently underneath Greenwood Lake.

Lilya noticed that she saw less of Juris once she joined the guild, though it was unrelated to her actually being in the guild. He seemed to be busier than ever. She wondered what would happen when he became the full leader of the crusader guild. Would she ever see him anymore?

Over a month after joining the guild, Juris invited Lilya to have lunch with him the next day. He wanted her to meet him at the restaurant in Prontera where they'd had their first date. She was happy he finally had time to spend with her, even if it was just lunch.

When it was time to go to the restaurant, Lilya was running late. She'd had a training class with the archer guild that morning, and she still had to go home to change into something besides her uniform for lunch. She hurried back to the castle, changed, and fixed her hair up. Then she rushed through the halls, on her way out to town to find a warp to Prontera.

She heard a sharp whistle as she walked quickly by the kitchen, and she stopped to look in. A half a dozen people sat around a table inside, eating lunch. One or two she'd met, the others she didn't know. The only person who was looking her way was the crusader, Miguel. Once she stopped in the doorway, he elbowed another man sitting next to him.

"I'm glad Missy finally got some more girls in the guild," Miguel said.

The others at the table turned as one to look at Lilya, who suddenly felt completely naked. It didn't help when Miguel spoke again.

"Don't you think they spruce up the drab castle walls?"

The man next to him, a wizard, tried to stifle a laugh. Lilya turned to leave, planning to run the rest of the way to the door.

"Wait," someone else in the room called to her.

She looked back in time to see the only woman in the room, a rogue, walk over and slap Miguel on the back of the head. At the same time, the man who had called Lilya back walked over to her.

"I am really sorry about Miguel," he said. "It's Lilya, right?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry; I don't…"

"I'm Jameth."

"Oh, yeah. You're married to Alorinna, right?"

He smiled widely. "That's me. Listen—don't pay any attention to Miguel. You know how every guild's got one that they're embarrassed of?" He glanced back at the crusader. "Okay, I'm mostly joking, but really, he's not usually that bad. He's probably just showing off. You know, trying to get attention."

The rogue who had reprimanded Miguel came to stand next to Jameth then.

"I'm Larxis, Lilya." She held out her hand to the archer, who shook it. "You should come have lunch with us. I know we come on strong at first…well, some of us. But it's really a great place."

Lilya smiled. "You don't have to sell the guild to me. I already do enjoy it here. I can't stay for lunch, but I promise, it's completely unrelated. I have a date that I'm already late for."

"Oh, well, have fun then!" Larxis said excitedly.

As Lilya left, she thought about Miguel. She knew Eilenam had a crush on him, but Lilya knew her friend could do better.

Once she reached Prontera, she avoided the main streets as she hurried to the restaurant. She looked at her watch as she reached the building, and she was happy to see she was only ten minutes late. However, she didn't want to walk in sweating and breathing heavily, so she waited outside the door an extra minute.

Inside, she found Juris sitting at a table in the corner. He stood up as soon as he saw her, and she rushed over to him.

"I am so sorry I'm late," she said immediately. "I had a training class this morn—"

"Hold on," Juris interrupted her. "I want to hear all about it, but first…."

He took her hand and pulled her closer to him. Then he kissed her for the first time. It lasted only a second, but it caught her completely off-guard and left her a little stunned.

"I've missed you so much lately," he said.

"Yeah," was all Lilya could think to say in response.

"Now, what were you saying?" he asked as he pulled a chair out and gestured for her to sit in it.

She tried to remember as she sat down. It certainly didn't seem important now.

"Oh, I was just apologizing for being late."

He waved his hand dismissively as he sat down across from her. "I am just happy to finally see you again."

"It has been too long," Lilya agreed. She observed a difference in his countenance from usual. He always looked happy to see her, but the smile on his face was about more than that. "Did something good happen?" she asked him directly.

"Yes," he answered just as directly. "Much has happened, and I can't wait to tell you everything."

The waiter came then, so he had to wait anyway. They ordered quickly, and Juris gave Lilya his news with sparkling eyes.

"I have been promoted."

"Promoted? To…guild leader?" Lilya asked with disbelief.

"Yes, I am now the crusader guild leader, and I start tomorrow."

"That's great!" Lilya exclaimed. "I had no idea it would happen so soon. I thought your father was set to be there a while."

"He was," Juris nodded seriously. "Fortunately, the guild leadership is not in the hands of one man. I presented my opinion to the guild as a whole, explained to them that it was time for a crusader to lead, and convinced them that I was ready to take over. And they agreed."

"Congratulations! I am so proud of you; it could not have been easy to challenge your own father."

"No, it was not. He is not happy with me, as you can imagine. I have not seen or heard from him since the vote came in."

"I'm sorry," Lilya said, even though she wasn't.

"I'm not. A man like that is not fit to be a leader, especially not over a group as noble as our crusaders. I won't say he was corrupt, because I don't know that for sure. His abuse of power may have only extended to forcing me into his will. Either way, he is better off back under the leadership of his own class guild."

Juris talked about some of the details of his new job, and then their food came. While they ate, he asked about her life since they'd last talked. She relayed a few stories about her recent training and life in the guild castle.

"It's interesting," she said between bites. "I always thought that Eilenam was the shy one, and I was the outgoing one."

Juris nodded. "That's how I viewed you two."

"It's completely the opposite. She fits in with everyone really well, and I usually just feel out of place."

"Really?"

"I guess the main difference is that I'm an only child, and Eilenam has brothers. I'm not used to living with so many other people."

"Have you thought about just moving out of the castle?" Juris asked, taking a sip of water.

"No…well, yeah, I have. But I don't want to do that. It has nothing to do with the people there; they're all great. Well, most of them," she said, recalling the earlier encounter with Miguel. "I just have to get used to it being so…"

"Crazy?" Juris offered.

"Exactly." They were both silent for a few minutes while they ate, then Lilya asked, "Have you ever lived in a guild castle, or anything else like that before?"

"No, I've never been in a guild before, actually. And you know my family is not much larger than yours. Or much friendlier."

Lilya chuckled. "At least we'll never have to argue about whose family to spend holidays with."

The comment brought a laugh from Juris, but Lilya couldn't believe what she'd said. She could only hope that he didn't find her comment too forward. She backed the conversation up a little bit.

"You really have never been in a guild?"

"No, I haven't. Does that surprise you?"

"Well, I know I haven't been part of all this as long as you have, but I guess I thought it was a common thing for people to join guilds."

"I checked out a few when I was still a swordsman," Juris admitted. "But I never found one to my liking. Eventually, I realized that I was just too busy to bother with a guild. Even if I had joined one, I would have to quit now; class guild leaders are not allowed to be in personal guilds."

"I suppose I can understand that," Lilya mused. "It might give the personal guild an unfair advantage."

When they were finished eating, they continued to sit at the table and talk. Lilya was surprised he hadn't already needed to leave to return to work; he'd never had this much time in the middle of the day before. As much as she was enjoying their time together, she worried that he had lost track of time, and didn't want to cause trouble for him after he had just been promoted.

"Don't you have to be back to work soon?" she inquired.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you—I have the rest of the day off."

"One last day of peace before your work really takes over your life?" Lilya reflected wryly.

"Actually, I expect my schedule to lighten considerably."

"Oh? How does that work?"

"See, it is the leader's job to delegate missions and other work to the rest of the guild. I had a meeting with the men who work directly under the leadership position—they call themselves the board of advisors—and they seemed to enjoy explaining this to me. My father has been piling my workload up more heavily than necessary. Apparently he thought I needed to build a strong work ethic to be able to someday have his job. At least, that's how the board viewed it."

"You see it differently?" Lilya asked.

Juris chuckled. "Personally, I think my father only sees me as a way to make himself look better. If his son can be the strongest, hardest working crusader in the guild, it reflects well on him. If his son can marry the young daughter of a local armor smith, thereby assuring that the crusader guild will always receive a discount on armor, he's viewed as a hero."

Lilya raised her eyebrows at that. "The daughter of an armor smith?" Her father was a businessman; he certainly did not make armor.

"Yes," Juris sighed. "My father told me about her a few months ago. He said that since the arrangement with you and your father hadn't worked out, he had been looking for someone else for me. For _me_. As if I am really supposed to believe that any of this is to benefit _me._"

"So…" Lilya had a hard time vocalizing her thoughts, but she forced the question out anyway, "you're engaged to this girl now?"

"No, no, nothing like that!" Juris said quickly. "I'm sorry; I should have been more clear. My father _attempted_ to make another arrangement, but it didn't work this time. I knew he would use the same threats that kept me in line last time, so I prepared for that."

"You eliminated the one thing that he could hold over you."

"Exactly. I've been busy making absolutely sure that he has no control over my life anymore. And actually, there were two main areas in which I had to make changes. The job was most important."

"What was the other then?" Lilya asked with strong curiosity.

"I'll show you."

Twenty minutes later, they were outside, standing in the northeast corner of Prontera. They stood in front of a row of houses, similar to those around the Aganar's own home. The houses here were smaller overall, and they walked up to one of the most modest, both in size, and in appearance.

Lilya followed Juris up a small set of stairs and onto a small porch. She glanced in a window, and was surprised to see that the house looked mostly empty. The walls she could see were bare, and there was only one piece of furniture in the entry room; it was a small table, holding a bare lamp.

Juris was grinning joyfully again, and Lilya couldn't help but smile too, even though she didn't really know what he was so happy about. Then the possibility hit her out of nowhere.

"Juris, is this…"

"My house," he finished for her excitedly. "I just bought it; I haven't had time to move in yet."

"You're moving out of your father's house!" she gasped. "You really have been busy."

"When my father brought up the idea of a new arrangement, the first thing I did was look for a way out."

"That sounds familiar," Lilya chuckled. She walked to the porch railing and leaned back against it. "I guess I've rubbed off on you."

"You were an inspiration." Juris walked over to stand in front of her. "However, your early scheming does not compare to what I have done. You see, this was my father's house. It was left to him by a relative over a decade ago, and he's kept it ever since. He rented it out now and then, for short periods of time, when it benefited his position in the community. Most of the time, though, it sat empty.

"When he told me of the armor smith's daughter, I told him that it was time for me to find my own place. He took that as a sign that I was happy with the new arrangement, and easily offered to sell me this house. He gave me a very nice price, and I couldn't possibly refuse."

Lilya narrowed her eyes at Juris. "He sold you the house for cheap under the impression that you were going to consent to marry the woman of his choosing? How long did you let him believe that?"

"Long enough to close the deal on this house and to take over his job," Juris admitted.

"Wow. No wonder he's not talking to you."

"I suppose I am a terrible son," he sighed.

Lilya let out a short laugh. "In that case, I'm a terrible daughter. I'm the one who destroyed everything last time, remember? I directly disobeyed my father's order, became a novice, and put an end to an apparently lucrative business arrangement. But all I really did was decide my future for myself. And that's all you did too."

Juris reached out and took her hands in his, pulling her closer. He looked into her eyes for a few seconds before speaking.

"I wasn't only thinking of my future, you know."

Lilya's heart was already pounding so furiously at his touch that she wasn't sure she'd heard him right. "What do you mean?"

"All of this—the house, the job, surmounting my father—the one reason behind it all…was you."

"Me?" Lilya breathed.

"A _future_ with you," he clarified.

His gaze was so intense, she felt like she could float away at any second. He released one of her hands, and reached up to place his free hand on her cheek.

"Our relationship began so unusually, I never thought I would feel so passionately about you. But I have fallen completely in love with you, and now, I can't imagine what my life would be like without you in it."

Lilya's heart jumped at his words. She felt tears forming in her eyes, and hoped he couldn't see them.

He didn't speak again right away. He was holding both of her hands again, and stared down at them for a minute. He was rubbing the back of her right hand with his left thumb, and it occurred to Lilya that he might be having a difficult time expressing what he wanted to say. She squeezed his hand in an attempt to show her support, and he looked back up at her.

"Lilya, what I'm trying to say—or ask, that is…." He took a deep breath and finally asked, "Will you marry me?"

She couldn't hold back a nervous laugh, which forced her tears to start streaming down her face. She took a breath and quickly replied, "Yes, definitely!"

She threw her arms around him, and he squeezed her in return. Then he kissed her, with his arms still tightly wrapped around her, and she thought for sure she'd fall over if he let go.

When he pulled back, she thought she saw tears in his eyes as well.

"Do you have to be back soon?" he asked quietly.

It took her a moment to understand his question, and even then she didn't know if he meant back to the archer guild, to Collegato, or somewhere else. The answer was the same, no matter which he meant.

"No, I have no other plans today. Other than telling my best friend that I'm engaged, because if I don't, she'll disown me. But, of course, that wouldn't have been a plan I already had." Lilya clamped her mouth shut quickly, before she digressed any further. "No, I have nowhere to be anytime soon," she answered again, with a nervous giggle.

"You know, I like it when you do that," Juris said.

"I hate it when I do that," Lilya countered. "You're the last one I want to sound like such an idiot in front of, and yet, I get so flustered when I talk to you sometimes."

"No, no," Juris argued. "You don't sound like an idiot at all. All of your letters to me have meant so much; they're how I got to know you. But they don't compare to talking with you face to face. I learn more about you from your ramblings than I do when you say exactly what you mean to say. Besides, you have no idea how cute it is."

Lilya's face flushed. "I'm glad you find it appealing, because I'm sure it'll happen a lot more."

Juris kissed her again. "You'll become much more comfortable with me the more we're together."

Lilya smiled happily, as if she'd just remembered that they were now engaged…again.

"Wait here," Juris instructed her. "I have something for you."

He disappeared into the house for a minute, and returned with one hand at his side, holding a small object that Lilya couldn't quite see.

"I did this all wrong, but this belongs to you." He held up a small, gray box, which he opened to reveal a ring inside. Without waiting for a response from Lilya, he carefully took the ring out of the box, and held his free hand out.

She raised her left hand and let him slide the ring onto her finger. The band was silver, and there were three diamonds on it. The diamond in the center was twice the size of the two on either side of it, though the center stone was not very large itself. He'd remembered that she preferred modest jewelry.

When she looked at him, she could tell he was anxious to know if she liked it.

"It's beautiful," she said. "Thank you."

"I am glad you like it. I'm just sorry that I didn't give it to you when I actually proposed."

"That doesn't even matter. That was only a few minutes ago anyway. But since you bring it up, why didn't you give it to me then?"

Juris smiled weakly and rubbed his chin nervously. "Well, I had not exactly planned to propose today."

"You didn't?" Lilya asked with surprise.

"Not exactly. I wanted to soon, obviously; I had the ring already. But…I wasn't sure it was the right time yet."

Lilya furrowed her brow in confusion. "Juris, did you…" she hesitated before continuing. "Did you think I wouldn't want to marry you yet?"

"I just didn't want to rush you," he explained. "With everything new in your life lately, I wanted to give you time to adjust. I thought if I asked you too soon, it would put too much pressure on you. I did not want to risk driving you away."

"What made you decide it was the right time after all?"

"I was not aware that I had until I was already telling you how I feel about you. Even then, I almost changed my mind."

Lilya was completely silent, and he looked at her for a few seconds without speaking.

"You could tell, couldn't you?" he asked.

She still didn't say anything, but she smiled.

"In that case, I'd say the deciding factor was you."

* * *

_This chapter's theme: Dolce (Italian: sweet)_

_A/N: Hopefully the length of this chapter will make up for any short ones in the past. Maybe it will also serve to hold any readers over until I'm able to post more, because I've had a sudden case of writer's block in this story. I'm working it out and will update when I can.  
_


	16. Mending

Despite Juris's assurance that he would have more free time with his new job than he used to, Lilya was still worried she would not see her new fiancé very often. Therefore, she was pleased when, only two days after he proposed, he contacted her to invite her to dinner the next night.

"I thought this might be a good time for you to meet my mother," Juris said over the com-disc.

"I have met your mother," Lilya replied. "She answered the door that day when my father and I came to your house. Considering what that trip was about, I can't imagine that she would want to see me again."

"I know, but I've been talking to her. I have been trying to help her understand that it has all worked out for the best. I think that if she spends a little time with you, she will see why I could not blindly follow my father's will."

"Your mother's approval means a lot to you," Lilya observed.

Juris didn't answer right away, and Lilya thought he might have been distracted. She waited a little longer and asked if he was still there.

"I am here, sorry," Juris answered her. "Yes, I do strongly want my mother to accept my decision. I would prefer for both of my parents to be more understanding, but I know my father will never concede."

"You feel like you still have a chance with your mother," Lilya concluded for him.

"Exactly."

"Do you think she will even agree to have dinner with us?"

"I think I can convince her."

Lilya and Juris decided to meet at his house the next night so they could walk to the restaurant together. Lilya was nowhere near as nervous preparing for dinner that night as she had been about meeting Juris for the first time. However, she wanted to make a good impression on Mrs. Aganar, for Juris's sake as much as her own.

After deciding on a dress and asking a monk from her guild to warp her to Prontera, she arrived at the house fifteen minutes early. She stepped onto the porch and knocked on the door.

"I'll be out in one second," she heard Juris call from somewhere inside.

She waited at the door for a minute before stepping over to the porch railing. She placed her hands on the smooth wood and gazed out at the city.

From there, Prontera seemed quiet. The house was far away from the crowd, and she was happy for that. This was going to be her porch, her street, and her corner of the city. She was used to a peaceful environment, and after living in the castle for a little while, she realized how much she preferred the calm.

Her thoughts moved then to focus on the house itself. It was just registering in her mind that, though she didn't know when yet, this would be her home—her and Juris's home, together. It was a little too much to take in still; it would take some time to adjust to everything involved in what had been such a simple decision.

She suddenly felt a hand on her arm, startling her.

"I'm sorry," Juris chuckled as he stood beside her. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay; I just didn't hear you come out."

"Are you okay?" he asked. He must have mistaken the contemplative look on her face for anxiety.

"Yeah, I was just thinking. It's odd, you know? I keep thinking about how sudden and new this all is, even though we were engaged for nine months before."

"I know exactly what you mean. Do you realize that if the original engagement had worked out, our first anniversary would be coming up?"

"Has it been that long already?" Lilya really was surprised.

So much had changed in the last year—she'd become a novice, then an archer; she'd moved out of her father's house; she'd joined a guild and moved into a castle; and now, she was facing the biggest step of all. She wondered how different it all would have been if she had made that first decision differently.

"Do you—"

"No," Juris stopped her quickly.

Lilya looked at him with surprise. "How do you even know what I was going to say?"

"You were going to ask if I wish you had not ended our first engagement, because then we would already be married, as we are going to be anyway."

"Oh…well, yeah. That was pretty much it."

She expected him to say something else, but he didn't. Then she remembered he already had answered.

"So…no?" she repeated.

"Lilya, this is completely different than before. We were friends by the time of the wedding, sure, but we both know that was not good enough. You weren't the only one who thought the whole arrangement was ridiculous; you were simply more willing to admit it. I don't care how long I have to wait to marry you, as long you are making the choice for yourself."

He pulled her into his arms, and she rested her head on his shoulder. She returned the embrace tentatively.

"I love you, Lilya," he said.

She closed her eyes and smiled. "I love you, too."

"And that is what makes it worth the wait. You deserved the chance to know if you even loved me before you married me."

"That goes for you too," she reminded him.

He hesitated before saying, "I know."

She looked at him questioningly, curious about his response, but she didn't say anything.

"Let's head to the restaurant," he said.

They stepped down off the porch, and he held his arm out for her. She slipped her arm through his, and they walked toward the restaurant.

* * *

It was six months later that Juris and Lilya were married. One month before the wedding, Lilya had a task that she did not feel was avoidable, yet she dreaded terribly.

She was going to visit her father. She had not spoken to him in almost two years, and she didn't really know if there was a reason to try now. However, she saw Juris's relationship with Guile—what was left of it—and she did not want to let her own relationship with her father go the same direction. Perhaps it was because of emotion building up about her wedding day, but she felt that she should at least attempt to have a conversation with Pherick.

She knocked on the door, feeling that she had no right to walk in as if she lived there. She was caught off guard when her father answered the door himself. She had expected the maid.

He looked surprised to see her as well. He did not speak, even to say hello. He only raised one eyebrow as he waited for an explanation for her visit.

"Hello, Father," she said to start, wishing she could remember why she had come in the first place.

"Lilya," he responded stiffly. "How are you?"

"I am quite well, and you?"

At least the exchange so far was calmer than the last time they'd talked.

"I am also well."

There was silence between them for a few seconds, and Lilya knew she would have to be the bigger person here.

"Can I come in?" she requested, forcing back a sigh.

Pherick's face remained stoic as he finally stepped aside and let his daughter walk into the house. He closed the door behind her, and Lilya wasted no more time in getting to the purpose of her visit.

"I will not stay long," she assured him, "but I thought it was important for you to know what has happened in my life since I moved out."

He still said nothing, but she hadn't expected him to anyway.

"I have stopped trying to understand why you felt that the arrangement with the Aganars was so important. I do not care anymore."

Pherick raised an eyebrow in disbelief at her words.

"The simple truth is that it doesn't matter anymore. It has been a long time since it happened, and I honestly believe my life is better for it. You know that I did not appreciate your attempt to control my life, but I cannot tell you now that it was an entirely negative experience."

The look on Pherick's face turned from disbelief to confusion. Still he didn't speak, waiting for her to continue with her speech.

"Father, Juris and I are engaged to be married."

"Pardon me?" Pherick finally spoke, expressing his confusion.

"After the arrangement was called off, we continued our relationship. You see, you were right about him in the first place. He really is a good man—a wonderful man. However, I could not fully see that when I was under the pressure you and Guile Aganar had placed on me."

Pherick's face grew smug as he understood what she was saying.

"Yes, I realize that I am saying that if it weren't for what you did, I never would have met the man I am about to marry. Believe me, I have thought about that a lot. It's a lot of the reason that I came here today."

"So you are telling me that after the fuss you made, after you betrayed me and embarrassed me in front of an important associate, you are marrying Juris after all?"

Lilya did sigh then; she couldn't help herself. She had held out hope that he would not react the way he was, but she knew it had been ridiculous for her to expect anything else.

"Yes, Father, but I can only hope you will understand. I realize it appears that my intent in all of this was to betray you, but it truly never was. Do you really not feel that I have the right to decide my future for myself?"

"I don't know, Lilya. I was only doing what I felt was right for you, to keep you from making the same mistakes your mother and I did. I suppose that what I failed to understand was that I had already led you as far as I could, and you were ready to make your own mistakes sooner than I had expected."

Lilya's shoulders fell at his words. He still considered everything she was doing to be a mistake. The novice and archer training, moving out, and apparently, even marrying the man that _he_ had originally set her up with.

Then her mind processed the rest of what he had said.

"So..." she said quietly, "you and Mom...you were really never happy with your life together?"

It was Pherick's turn to sigh. He turned his back to her then and took a few steps as if to walk away.

"I know that the reason you didn't let me become a novice when I was younger was because you thought I would make a better wife for someone if I didn't belong to a class guild. Is that because you disliked Mom being an adventurer?"

He turned back to face her with a deep scowl on his face. She felt she had already gone too far, but she couldn't stop herself from going one step further.

"Did you even love each other?"

Instead of becoming even angrier and yelling at her, Lilya's father had the opposite reaction to her question. His eyes suddenly held a look Lilya had never seen before—sorrow and even pain.

"Of course we loved each other," he said softly, staring at the ground. "We...I loved your mother very much."

Lilya almost felt bad for bringing the subject up, but she wouldn't drop it now. She had never heard her father talk this way about anything, and he rarely talked about her mother at all.

"Was she ever happy?" Lilya wanted to know.

"Oh yes," Pherick answered with a sad smile. "She was happy all the time, especially after you were born. She was so excited to have a daughter."

"Why don't I remember that?" Lilya's eyes began to fill with tears.

He looked up at her but didn't answer right away.

"I remember...she was always sad. I tried to make her smile, but even when she did, she looked like she was about to cry. I always thought...did I upset her? Did I misbehave a lot when I was a child? I tried to be good, because I thought it was me that..." Lilya's words broke up as she fought hard to keep from crying

"Lilya, it had nothing to do with you," her father said, taking a few steps toward her. "Your mother was very sick before she died."

Lilya feebly wiped away the tears that were falling down her cheeks before saying, "I know; she died of an illness that the doctors couldn't cure."

"Yes, I told you that much, but what I didn't tell you was that she was sick for years, and she was often in great pain because of it."

"She was? Why…why didn't I know about that?"

"I did not want you to think of your mother in that way. I wanted you to have only pleasant memories, but I did not know they were already so disheartening." Pherick sighed and held his hand out to her. "Since we're talking about it anyway, let's go sit down, and I will tell you more about your mother."


End file.
